Latitude 38 January 2008 by Latitude 38 Media, LLC

Latitude 38 VOLUME 367 January 2008

W E G O W H E R E T H E W I N D B L OW S

JANUARY 2008 VOLUME 367

It’s just that simple. With so many marinas to choose from, looking for a slip in the Bay Area can be a hassle. Everyone’s looking for the same thing: convenience, a great marina where everything you need is at your finger tips. Never be overcharged for services that should be included in your monthly bill. Grand Marina has great services at a great price. Period.

• • • • • • • • • •

Over 400 concrete berths 30 to 60 feet Secured Gatehouses (electronic key system) Dockside Electrical (up to 50A - 220V) Cable TV & Telephone Service Heated & tiled restrooms with individual showers Beautifully Landscaped Ample Parking available Sailboat & Powerboat Brokers on site Excellent customer service Monthly informative newsletter

Our wait list for liveaboard status is now closed. Page 2 •

Latitude 38

• January, 2008

DIRECTORY of GRAND MARINA TENANTS Bay Island Yachts.......................... 7 Bay Marine Diesel..................... 218 The Boat Yard at Grand Marina... 16 Lee Sails.................................... 212 New Era Yachts.......................... 224 Pacific Coast Canvas.................... 95 Pacific Yacht Imports..................... 9

510-865-1200

Leasing Office Open Daily 2099 Grand Street, Alameda, CA 94501 www.grandmarina.com

Play Your Cards Right!

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Ph on e Fa x ww (510) ) 522 -2 w.p 52 25 i nea 2-77 200 26 00 pp Bla les nd ing ails.c om Av e., Ala me da

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Last season brought successes in spades to Pineapple powered boats. Racers and cruisers alike found that dealing with Pineapple Sails brings results: sails that perform and endure. This season offers new opportunities for mastering the many techniques of sailing. New Pineapple sails and the advice and service that go with them stack the deck in your favor. Don't gamble. Give us a call today. YOUR DEALER FOR: Musto foul weather gear, Dubarry footwear and Headfoil 2 Sails in need of repair may be dropped off at: West Marine in Oakland, Alameda, or Richmond; or Svendsen's in Alameda.

*Powered by Pineapples

Phone (510) 522-2200 Fax (510) 522-7700 www.pineapplesails.com 2526 Blanding Ave., Alameda, California 94501 January, 2008 â&#x20AC;˘

Latitude 38

â&#x20AC;˘ Page 3

28 Reasons to Start Your Year at Passage Yachts BENETEAU

31 ~ 343 ~ 37 ~ 40 ~ 43 ~ 46 ~ 49 ~ 523 ~ 57 10R ~ 44.7 ~ 45 ~ 50 BOAT YEAR OF THE

NEW FOR 2008 SHIPS FEBRUARY

AU 40

BO 2 0 0 8

EA R

BENETEAU 49

BENETEAU 46

ISLAND PACKET

ISLAND PACKET SP 41

BENETEAU 40

BENETEAU 37

37 ~ 41 CRUISER ~ 440 ~ 465 ~ 485 NEW CENTER COCKPIT

CLASSIC AFT COCKPIT

ISLAND PACKET 465

ISLAND PACKET 440

WAUQUIEZ

NEW FOR 2008

CENTURION 40 ~ 45 PILOT SALOON 41 ~ 47 ~ 55 WAUQUIEZ PILOT SALOON 41

Call for w oat sho great b d free n deals a ent equipm ru es th packag y 2 r Februa

ALERION EXPRESS

WAUQUIEZ PILOT SALOON 55

INCREDIBLE

20 ~ 28 ~ 33 ~ 38 ALERION EXPRESS 33

Visit our Alameda Brokerage and Performance Boat Annex at Marina Village

Alameda

SWIFT TRAWLER 42 now only $419,000

Sat-Sun, January 12-13 OPEN BOAT WEEKEND Alameda Office New & Used Boat Display 11:00 to 5:00

BENETEAU FIRST 44.7 now only $279,000 Alameda

See page 221 for our complete brokerage list

FIRST 36.7

January Events Calendar

Call for great Boat Show deals! January 19-26 In the Water New Boat Show Pt. Richmond Office

Disappointed by the limited display of sailboats at the boat show? Stop by our show for the best selection in cruising and racing yachts.

ISLAND PACKET 380, 2001 $235,000!

Affordable and Exciting One Design and Handicap Racing

Saturday, February 2 VIP Sailing Day Test sail a new Beneteau, Island Packet or Wauquiez. Join us on our monthly test sails to experience the latest in sailing technology and comfort. Reservations required – Call for boat schedule

Beneteau First FIRST 10R

10R 36.7 40.7

ALERION 28

Alerion 28

Pt. Richmond Office 1220 Brickyard Cove Road p: 510-236-2633 f: 510-234-0118

Alameda Office • Marina Village 1070 Marina Village Pkwy, Ste 101 p: 510-864-3000 f: 510-337-0565 www.passageyachts.com sales@passageyachts.com Award-winning Sales & Service since 1981

CONTENTS subscriptions

calendar

letters

loose lips

102

sightings

108

cabo catastrophe revisited

128

sausalito yc midwinters

134

soloing sereia

138

north coast cruise

144

banderas bay blast

148

winners, pt. III

154

max ebb: lyin' eyes

160

the racing sheet

166

world of chartering

176

changes in latitudes

186

classy classifieds

206

advertisers' index

215

brokerage

219

Cover: Birthday boy Jim Casey's Santa Cruz and Tahoe-based Jeanneau 43DS Tomatillo crosses the Banderas Bay Blast at Punta Mita. Photo: 'Lectronic Latitude/Richard Copyright 2008 Latitude 38 Publishing Co., Inc.

Latitude 38 welcomes editorial contributions in the form of stories, anecdotes, photographs – anything but poems, please; we gotta draw the line somewhere. Articles with the best chance at publication must 1) pertain to a West Coast or universal sailing audience, 2) be accompanied by a variety of pertinent, in-focus digital images (preferable) or color or black and white prints with identification of all boats, situations and people therein; and 3) be legible. These days, we prefer to receive both text and photos electronically, but if you send by mail, anything you want back must be accompanied by a selfaddressed, stamped envelope. Submissions not accompanied by an SASE will not be returned. We also advise that you not send original photographs or negatives unless we specifically request them; copies will work just fine. Notification time varies with our workload, but generally runs four to six weeks. Please don't contact us before then by phone or mail. Send all submissions to editorial@latitude38.com, or mail to Latitude 38 editorial department, 15 Locust Ave., Mill Valley, CA 94941. For more specific information, request writers' guidelines from the above address or see www.latitude38.com/writers.html. Page 6 •

Latitude 38

• January, 2008

36' SOLARIS SUNSTAR, 1993

(510) 814-0400 yachtsales@bayislandyachts.com www.bayislandyachts.com PACIFIC SEACRAFT 34

CED PRICE REDU

48'51' AMEL MARAMU ALEUTIAN

G NEW LISTIN

1989, Ready to go cruising!! $99,500

1979. New engine + much more. Fully reconditioned. $189,000

ISLANDER BAHAMA 30

WAUQUIEZ HOOD 38

REDUCED!

sistership

New Listing at Grand Marina $119,000

YOUR MULTIHULL BROKERAGE SPECIALIST SAILING CATS 82' CNB.................................... $1,700,000 56' MARQUISES, 1997.................€390,000 50' TROPIC, 1993........................€253,000 48' PRIVILEGE, 1991.................... $400,000 48' PRIVILEGE, 1990.................... $400,000 44' KOHLER, 1993....................... $249,000 43' BELIZE, 2003.......................... $416,000

MONOHULLS FOR SALE IN THE CARIBBEAN

1979. Fresh from Lake Tahoe. $22,500

1979. Truly a performance cruiser. $85,500

52' NAUTICAT........................$390,000 51' BENETEAU 510.................$189,000 50' JEANNEAU.......................$290,000 47' WAUQUIEZ......................$219,000 47' JEANNEAU.......................$155,000 47' BENETEAU........................$275,000 47' SWAN..............................$199,000 43' SAGA...............................$272,000 43' SLOCUM...........................$160,000

NORTHSTAR 40, 1973

HUNTER LEGEND 40

SOLD

G NEW LISTIN

SISTERSHIP

43' LAGOON POWER CAT, 2003 $550,000 42' VENEZIA, 1995...................... $195,000 38' ATHENA, 1998...................... $185,000 33' SEAWIND, 2000.................... $182,000 POWER CATS 40' EUPHORIE, 1991....................€145,000 37' MARYLAND, 2002................... 315,000

NONSUCH 36, 1987

'fast lucy'

Lovable, simple, elegant! $102,500

SPINDRIFT 43, 1981

Aleutian 51 Beneteau 39 Ericson 35 (2) Morgan 41 Hunter 29.5

g new listin

G NEW LISTIN

Islander 32 Catalina 34 Beneteau 405

Center cockit cruiser. $53,000

1989. The Legend…$69,500

Hunter 430 Spindrift 43

CONTESSA 32

36' CATALINA, 1983

Islander 37 COMPAC 25

Ericson 30+ irwin 46 nonsuch 30 (2)

G NEW LISTIN

Ready for liveaboard cruising. $129,000

HUNTER 31, 1984

hunter 29.5 ERICSON 28 O'DAY 30 HUNTER 45 (2) CED PRICE REDU

"Old world" quality. Excellent sailing. $39,500

Great condition for her age. Good gear. $45,000

BABA 30, 1983

35' SCHOCK, 1994

CATALINA 27 Pearson 32 g new listin

Beneteau 42s7 Formosa 51 HUNTER 33 BENETEAU 390 CHB 34 hunter 37.5 newport 33 hunter 40 islander 30

…around $30,000

32' CUST. GAFF RIGGED

Hunter 37 Newport 30 catalina 36 santana 30 beneteau 47 nonsuch 33 G NEW LISTIN

Nicely kept. $65,500

CED PRICE REDU

Ex-class champion. "Full race." $45,500

mull 82

Full keel cruising boat, baggy wrinkle. $55,500

In Grand Marina • 2099 Grand St., Alameda, CA 94501 • Fax (510) 814-8765 January, 2008 •

Latitude 38

• Page 7

B OAT LOANS from

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❏ We have a marine-oriented business/yacht club in California which will distribute copies of Latitude 38. (Please fill out your name and address and mail it to the address below. Distribution will be supplied upon approval.) ❏ Please send me further information for distribution outside California Type of Business

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Publisher/Exec. Editor.........Richard Spindler.......... richard@latitude38.com......ext. 111 Associate Publisher.............John Arndt................... john@latitude38.com..........ext. 108 Managing Editor..................John Riise.................... johnr@latitude38.com.........ext. 110 Senior Editor.......................Andy Turpin................. andy@latitude38.com..........ext. 112 Associate Editor..................LaDonna Bubak............ ladonna@latitude38.com.....ext. 109 Advertising Sales................John Arndt................... john@latitude38.com..........ext. 108 Advertising Sales................Shawn Grassman......... shawn@latitude38.com.......ext. 107 Classified Sales...................Mary Briggs................. class@latitude38.com.........ext. 104 General Manager.................Colleen Levine.............. colleen@latitude38.com......ext. 102 Production/Web..................Christine Weaver.......... chris@latitude38.com..........ext. 103 Production/Photos..............Annie Bates-Winship.... annie@latitude38.com.........ext. 106 Bookkeeping.......................Helen Nichols............... helen@latitude38.com.........ext. 101 Directions to our office........................................................................................press 4 Subscriptions....................................................................................................press 1,4 Classified............................class@latitude38.com............................................press 1,1 Distribution.........................distribution@latitude38.com..................................press 1,5 Editorial...............................editorial@latitude38.com.......................................press 1,6 Calendar..............................calendar@latitude38.com Other email.........................general@latitude38.com......Website: www.latitude38.com Please address all correspondence by person or department name

15 Locust Avenue, Mill Valley, CA 94941 • (415) 383-8200 Fax: (415) 383-5816 Page 8 •

Latitude 38

• January, 2008

VIDEO TOURS OF OUR YACHTS AVAILABLE ONLINE!

Tayana 54 Deck Saloon

Tayana 58 DS

TAYANA 58 DECK SALOON

NEW TAYANA 54 DECK SALOON

World famous Tayana 58 Deck Saloon. Fast and stable, custom interior. More than 100 hulls built!

Performance cruiser by Bill Dixon. Custom built to your specifications by Tayana. Two, three and four stateroom options available.

Tayana 64 Deck Saloon

TAYANA DYNASTY 72

TAYANA 64 DECK SALOON

Designed by Bill Dixon/Andrew Winch. Cruise in luxury on this 72-footer with 20-ft beam. Many interior plans to choose from. Fast and spacious.

Robb Ladd design. Center or twin cockpit. 18-ft beam and long waterline. Modern looking bluewater cruiser.

NEW

TIN

LIS

SISTERSHIP

2005 TAYANA 48 CC Like new and loaded. 500 hours onYanmar 75 turbo. LeisureFurl, electric winches, KVH 33 Imarsat phone. $489,000 KS

1984 TAYANA V-42 aft cockpit cutter. Mast 1988 HANS CHRISTIAN 41 Molokai has new LPU paint, rigging & wiring. Ray- In as fine a condition as one will hope to find in a yacht of this caliber. marine pkg. incl. AP, radar, GPS plotter AGM Fully equipped. $225,000 batteries. Full cockpit enclosure, 3 genoas, spinn w/sock, extensive equip. list $149,500

D UR

O AT

2000 BENETEAU FIRST 40.7. Race ready with many upgrades like larger motor, oversize primary winches, carbon spin pole, professionally faired. $189,000 U ED

Y EAD

1978 MARINER 36 CUTTER Rare Tayana-built Mariner 36 in great shape and ready to go cruising. Many recent upgrades including new main and rigging.

1987 MORGAN 41 CLASSIC. Modernized version of Charlie Morgan's very popular Out-Island 41. Updated inter. design; improved underbody w/fin keel. $99,900

www.pacificyachtimports.net

SHI

1977 TAYANA 37 CUTTER New Yanmar diesel with 60 hours. Aluminum mast with in-boom furling and new rigging. Chartplotter, radar, windvane.

Pacific Yacht Imports 2051 Grand Street, Alameda, CA 94501

2007 TAYANA 48 DECK SALOON Our most popular 2-stateroom 2-head model. You can still add any factory options. Many extras at a discounted price. Ready to ship. $430,000

We’re at Grand Marina Dave Wolfe, Neil Weinberg, Keith Rarick

Tel (510) 865-2541

Fax (510) 865-2369

tayana@mindspring.com January, 2008 •

Latitude 38

• Page 9

Successfully Selling Boats in Mexico since 1998 Looking to buy a boat to cruise south to Mexico or beyond? The boat you are looking for is either in Mazatlan or La Paz. These are proven, cruise ready boats, all have been outfitted, and all have made the trip from the U.S., Canada or other countries.

61’ Norlund flybridge cockpit by Ed Monk, 1975 $249,000

44’ Peterson (2 to choose from) cutter, 1976 $115,000

42’ Hylas CC cutter sloop, 1987, $159,000 45’ Hylas 455 CC cutter, 1995, $159,000

41’ PEARSON RHODES sloop, 1966 $69,500

Take Our Boat Test. Please.

38’ Shannon cutter, 1980 $109,900

37’ RAFIKI cutter, 1978 $69,500

36’ UNION POLARIS cutter, 1979 $62,500

30’ CAPE DORY cutter sloop, 1983 $38,500

Size Brand/Model Year Price Size Brand/Model Year Size Brand/Model Year Price SAIL 32 a Freedom sloop boat near you. 1984 40 Simpson catamaran 2005 299,000 1. See a boat on MazMarine.com. 1. Find comparable 86 Schooner charterer 1970 2. Add 70,000 32 in Kettenburg sloop All of ‘em.1978 40 to CSMazatlan. sloop 2001 149,000 cost of plane ticket 2. Add all sales taxes. 55 New Zealand steel ketch 1980 199,000 31 in Pacific Seacraftgear Mariah cutter for 1979 40 Hardin Sea Wolf ketch 1978 59,000 3. Add all requisite needed 53 Mason cutter 1983 320,000 31 Elizabethan sloop 38 Shannon cutter 1980 109,900 off-shore cruising. All of ’em. 1976 51 Formosa cutter ketch 1974 138,000 30 in Cape 1983 37 Bruce Roberts ketch 1985 66,900 4. Add your Dory time, energy and costs to 46 Hunter 466 cutter 2002 219,000 POWER 37 Endeavour 37.5 A ctr ketch 1979 59,900 install and test both gear and boat. 46 Hunter 460 cutter sloop 2000 235,000 61 in Norlund flybridge cockpit 1975 37 Hunter cutter 1979 38,500 5. Add your time, energy and costs 45 Hylas 455 cutter 1995 245,500 & Hearn converted tugboat 37 Rafiki cutter 1978 69,500 to60 sail Gladding her down to Mazatlan. up all costs in this column. 1960 44 Irwin CC sloop 1987 3. Add 89,000 Tayana cutter 1976 79,000 up all costs in 37 this column. 6. Add 48 Bluewater Coastal 1991 44 Miller 44 CC cutter 1980 138,000 37 Tayana ketch 1975 79,900 45 CHB sedan 1981 44 Kelly Peterson 1979 138,000 total: $? 36 Union cutter 1983 89,900 total: $? trawler 42 Grand Banks trawler 1970 44 Peterson cutter 1976 115,000 36 Union Polaris cutter 1979 62,500 40 Hatteras convertible sportfish 1968 1995 159,900 43 Hunter 430 36 Chung Hwa Magellan ketch 1979 39,900 comparison, isn't99,000 it? Try it. Do36 theChung math onMagellan any comparable of the one 39 neck Bayliner 3988 woods, with1998 43 Interesting Camper Nicholson 1970 Hwa ketch 1977 yacht 45,000 up in your 39 the Sea Ray Express ourSwan well-equipped and maintained off-shore yachtsConway listed on MazMarine.com. Compare specs. Add it up. 1989 The 43 of Nautor sloop 1969 118,000 36 Westerly ketch 1976 38,900 cruiser office 1997 42 reality Hylas CCis cutter 159,000 Spencer sloop Yachts, Mexico's 1966 29,500 thatsloop selecting1987 a blue-water vessel35 from Mazatlan biggest and 30 best,Baja andperformance now a new in 23 Bayliner 2650 1986 41 Seawind 1977 55,000 34 Cal sloop 1977 34,000 La Paz, is often ultimately safer and less expensive. And you're cruising Baja now...not 23 a year or two from now. Our Custom launch 1988 41 Rhodes by Pearson 1966 69,500 33 Bristol channel cutter 1950 39,500

yachts were sailed here by experienced owners. Each boat's gear has been selected, installed and ocean proven. Each awaits your inspection at our docks in Marina Mazatlan or La Paz. Do it. Please. Crunch the numbers and call us. Ray Watson & Jeannette Sarrasin Toll free: 1 (888) 716-7430 Phone & FAX: 011-52-(669)-913-3165 E-mail: MazMarine@aol.com Compare our listings at: MazMarine.com

Page 10 •

Latitude 38

• January, 2008

Mike Rickman Toll free US/CAN: 1 (877) 245-9689 Mike Rickman Phone: 011 52-(612)-123-1948 VHF Ch. 22 “Amazing Grace” 011(612) 521-(612)-105-6459 Cell: Cell: 011 521 105-6459 E-mail: 1LaPazYachts@aol.com Toll Free US/CAN: (877) 245-9689

Price 50,500 26,000 68,000 21,500 38,500 249,000 245,000 172,000 169,000 69,000 95,000 225,000 80,000 699,900 8,000 12,200

New for 2008, the 45 Deck Salon combines striking exterior design with the largest cockpit in its class, attractive wraparound windows and a vast, light-filled interior. Limited Availability - Order Now for 2008 Delivery.

Sun Odyssey 42DS

A stunning combination of comfort and performance, the SO 39i offers a large cockpit with twin steering positions, luxurious interior appointments, Burmese teak woodwork and a spacious floor plan.

Sun Odyssey 45 - $50K Discount

Sun Odyssey 45 DS

Sun Odyssey 39i

unique to the world’s seas, a Jeanneau sailboat is distinctive in its design, performance, comfort and security. As America’s largest selling import sailboat, Jeanneau has established its reputation over 50 years as the leader in the world of elegant and distinctive design and uncompromising quality, while maintaining elements of its traditional heritage.

See why this is America’s largest selling import sailboat. Designed by Marc Lombard and Vittorio Garroni, the SO 42 Deck Salon combines perfection in aesthetic beauty with a spacious and light-filled interior.

This is the ideal sailboat whether your plans are for entertaining onboard or long distance cruising. The SO 45 combines the distinctive design, unparalleled performance and luxurious livable space that are hallmarks of a Jeanneau.

Call us today at 888.78.YACHT or visit

w w w. c r u i s i n g y a c h t s . n e t

Caliber YaChts inCorporated

See us at the Northern California Boat Show

Pleasanton, CA | Jan 5 – 13, 2008

Randall Burg Yacht and Ship, Inc. Marina del Rey (310) 574-9449 Newport Beach (949) 675-5940 San Diego (619) 222-1907 Alameda (510) 865-1934 Open at the Ballena Isle Marina!!! info@rbyachts.com • www.rbyachts.com

Brokerage Slips Available in Long Beach, Marina del Rey & Newport Beach. Stated Income Loans to $350,000 starting at 6.5%. Broker Co-Ops encouraged.

51' MASON OFFSHORE YAWL, 1958 New wiring, plumbing & paint in/out, hydraulic windlass, Volvo 71 hp dsl. $99,000

46' HUNTER 46, 2000 Lots of light below. Excellent condition. $217,000

50' PIVER Loaded with gear. Sleeps 8 in 4 cabins. New rigging & Yanmar diesel. $169,000

40' marine trader, 1978 $79,000

44' norseman 447 1983 The owners of this classic bluewater cruiser have completed a two-year 'once-in-a-lifetime' tour of the South Pacific, and are returning to San Francisco. The yacht performed admirably, demonstrating her ability to handle heavy seas with comfort and stability. Refit in 2007, carefully maintained. Designed by Robert Perry, who refers to this model as his "masterpiece." An opportunity to own a safe, swift, and very elegant yacht at a very reasonable price. $228,000

459 MERIDIAN, 2005 $449,000

UCE

RED

32' RADON DIVE BOAT, 1992 $104,000

47' KETTENBURG SLOOP, 1958 Fully restored. $99,000

60' CAPE ISLAND TRAWLER 1994 $299,990

38' hans christian MkII cutter, 1983 Very well equipped. $135,000

40' BLUEWATER TRAWLER, 1979 Pristine long range pilothouse. $175,000

47' MCKINNA, 1997 Aft cabin. $347,500

UCE

RED

34' CHB TRAWLER, 1978 $60,000

42' GRAND BANKS CLASSIC, 1973 Well maintained. $89,000

37' rafiki, 1978 $71,000 ily Yacht Fam ure ent v Ad

48' AMERICAN MARINE GRAND BANKS $149,000

36' HUNTER, 2003 $128,500

52' DEFEVER Located in La Paz. $135,000

50' DELTA, 1976 Repowered, near total rebuilt. 49 passenger CG doc. $482,000

43' Peterson $76,500

52' CALIFORNIAN, 1988 $289,000

UCE

RED

50' SEA RANGER, 1986 $239,000

42' GRAND BANKS TRAWLER, 1974 $139,990

List your boat with us and we'll publish a FREE full page ad in Yacht Buyers Guide until it sells! Page 12 •

Latitude 38

• January, 2008

Happy New Year from &

See us at the

San Diego Boat Show January 3-6

BOAT YEAR OF THE

ST AT

Catalina 309

Catalina 34 Mk II

Catalina 350 MkII

Catalina 440

Catalina 470

TA LI N

A3 09

IC 2 0 0 7

EY EA R

Catalina 42 Mk II

a l a m e d a O P E N B O A T W EE K E N D • J A N U A R Y 1 2 - 1 3

S & S 40, 1982

Catalina 42, MkII, 2000

3 to choose from

Catalina 30, 1990

Catalina 36

Jeanneau 37, 2000 NEW CATALINA YACHTS IN ALAMEDA Catalina 470 Catalina 42 MkII • Catalina 350 Catalina 34 MkII • Catalina 309 NEW CATALINA YACHTS IN SAN DIEGO Catalina 42 MkII • Catalina 350 Catalina 34 MkII • Catalina 320

Hunter 36, 2004

PREOWNED CATALINAS/ALAMEDA Catalina 42 MkII 2000 169,000 Catalina 36 MkII 1995 98,500 Catalina 36 1987 52,000 Catalina 36 1987 55,000 Catalina 34 1987 47,000 Catalina 30 1990 37,000 PREOWNED CATALINAS/SAN DIEGO Catalina 400 2000 185,000 Catalina 36 2001 122,500

Catalina 34 2003 115,900 PREOWNED SAILING YACHTS IN ALAMEDA Mikelson 50 1988 319,000 Franz Maas 42 1972 149,950 S&S 40 1982 139,000 1979 57,500 Morgan 38 Jeanneau 37 2000 122,000 Valiant 37 1978 79,500 Jeanneau 36 1997 109,000

1070 Marina Village Pkwy., # 104 Alameda, CA 94501

T: 510.523.6730 F: 510.523.3041

Exclusive San Diego and San Francisco Bay Area Catalina Dealer

Valiant 37, 1978

Jeanneau 36, 1997

Franz Maas 42, 1972 Hunter 36 2004 122,000 Islander 36 1975 34,500 C&C 36 1981 43,000 Hunter 29.5 1996 40,000 PREOWNED POWER YACHTS IN SAN DIEGO Broward 80 1979 1,390,000 Stevens 70 motoryacht 670,000 Apex Pangs Offshore 2600 29,900

*2302 Shelter Island Drive San Diego, CA 92106 w Ne ! n o i t a Loc

T: 619.523.6730

www.faralloneyachts.com

F: 619.523.3041

TARTAN 4100

View at our Sales Dock Call for Appt.

2 0 0 5

TARTAN NEW 5300 • NEW 5100 • 4400 NEW 4300 • 4100 • 3700 • NEW 3400

C&C 121 • C&C 115 • C&C 110 C&C 99 • ONE DESIGN SPECS

NOW STANDARD ON ALL TARTANS AND C&Cs Carbon Spar, Epoxy Hull, 15-Year Hull Warranty ED

REDUC

SISTERSHIP

GULFSTAR 50, 1978 Mexico ready. $125,000

BENETEAU FIRST 305, 1986 Diesel, race equipped. $36,000

WESTSAIL 32, 1976 Perkins 4-108, new interior. $58,000

PASSPORT 40, 1982 Diesel, dodger, nice. $118,000

OPEN BOAT WEEKEND JANUARY 12-13

sol

We need listings now!!

30' S-2 CC, 1977 SOLD

Klaus Kutz B r o ke r

Don Wilson

B r o ke r

uce

Red

TAYANA VANCOUVER 42, 1979 Cruise ready. Call for appt. $99,500 d

sol

Whitby 42, 1981. Cruising classic, clean, roller furling. $74,500

CASCADE 41, 1971 Center cockpit. $59,500

Islander 40................................ SOLD PACIFIC SEACRAFT 44................ SOLD

SPARKMAN & STEPHENS 47...... SOLD CAPE DORY 36............................. SOLD

EXPLORER 45 KETCH, 1979 $130,000

Tartan C&C Yachts of San Francisco TARTAN 3400, 2006 SOLD

1070 Marina Village Parkway, Suite 102, Alameda, CA 94501

(510) 769-9400 • www.tccsf.com

PASSPORT 40, 1986. Cruise ready, well equipped. $149,500

The Boat Yard at Grand Marina Formerly Mariner Boat Yard

"Where Service Has Meaning"

60-t trav on elift

Spring Forward @ The Boat Yard

FEATURING

TRINIDAD ANTI-FOULING PAINT BY

RATED "SUPERIOR" by Practical Sailor

The only yard to brush on your bottom paint!

IT'S SIMPLE!

Dealers for:

Call The Boat Yard at Grand Marina for the Lowest Bottom Prices! ~ Compare us with the competition ~

• Prop and Shaft Work • Mast & Rigging Repair • Fiberglass & Blister Repair • Gelcoat Repair

• Gas & Diesel Engine Service • LPU Hull & Topside • Electrical Repair & Installation

CALL FOR A RESERVATION

(510) 521-6100

• Fax (510) 521-3684 Located at Grand Marina • 2021 Alaska Packer Place, Alameda

www.boatyardgm.com Page 16 • Latitude

38 • January, 2008

*weather permitting

San Francisco's yacht broker since 1969

The staff at City Yachts wishes you health and peace in 2008

YACHTS AND THE

CITY Sabre 34, 1983 $59,000

Morgan 41 Out Island $54,900

Ohlsson 41 $34,950

Californian Aft Cabin 36, '83 $74,900

Passport 40, 1985 $150,000

Harbormaster 37 Ideal City location. $80,000

Newport 41 Mk II $39,500

Bayliner 28, 2000 $57,000/Offer

Classic Coronado 26, $55,000 40' SF berth, perfect location

Islander 30 Mark II $9,000

10 MARINA BL. • SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123 • Toll Free: 877-444-5091 • 415-567-8880 FAX (415) 567-6725 • email sales@citysf.com • website http://yachtworld.com/cityyachts PLEASE VISIT our Fuel Dock at Gashouse Cove marina • Open 7 days a week • 9am to 5pm January, 2008 •

Latitude 38

• Page 17

Golden Gate Yacht Sales Proud Dealers for

Sales Position Available for an Experienced Sailboat Person

oon ing S Com ur Docks To O

2008 Sabre 42 Hardtop Sedan We have Buyers! We need listings! Sell your boat with one of California's most active brokerages. D SOL

SOL

1969 Admiralty 50 by American Marine $123,500

1996 Beale 47 $259,000

1999 Outbound 44 $339,000

1964 Cal 40 $69,500

2000 Sydney 38 OD $195,000

1985 Beneteau 38 $80,000

1984 C&C 37 $75,000

D SOL

2000 Beneteau 42 $172,000 D

UCE RED

1990 Sabre 38 Mk II $110,000

D SOL

(415) 332-2120 • 301 Harbor Drive, Sausalito, CA 94965 • www.goldengateyachts.com

– San Diego

Hunt Yachts

48’ 2003 SW, J 145 42' Hinckley 1987 $639,000 $329,000

65’ J 65 “Brand New Day” Call For Pricing

2002 C&C 121Secrets Xpress 'Anasazi' J 120 $249,000 $215,000

FEATURED LISTINGS ING

END

SAL

53’ 1999 J 160 34' J/109,$719,000 2004 ~ $225,000

Delphia 40’ 2006 40' Delphia, 2007 ~ $203,206 $199,500

1998 72’ 65' Perry..................................................(Sale Pending) 2006 J/65, Brand New Day.....................................Call for$895,000. pricing 2006 65’ J-65 Brand New Day ..........................................Call For Pricing 1990 46' Wylie, Stardust......................................................$349,000 1999 53’ J-160 Ruffian ................................................................$719,000 1997 53’ 46' J-160 Medusa ........................................................ $699,000 Equity.............................................$280,000 1983 Swan Hull #1, 2003 48’ J-145 Baraka ................................................................$639,000 1987 42' Hinckley SW, Alcyone............................................$329,000 1990 46’ Wylie Stardust ..............................................................$349,000 2005 Renzo Runner 4.0....................................Call for pricing 2005 43’ 42' J-133 RumPT Funny ........................................................$525,000 2005 42’ 42' Renzo PT Express Runner 4.0..........................................Call Pricing 2006 Renzo 4.0........................................Call forfor pricing 2006 42’ Renzo Express 4.0 ..............................................Call for Pricing 2006 Renzo Coupe ..........................................Call forfor pricing 2006 42’ 42' Renzo Coupe 4.54.5. ................................................Call Pricing 2006 42’ 42' Renzo Coupe 4.04.0. ................................................Call Pricing 2006 Renzo Coupe ..........................................Call forfor pricing 2006 40’ Delphia ........................................................................$199,500 2007 40' Delphia................................................Base price $203,206 2004 40’ Aqua Pro – Raider 1200 GR Tender ..(Sale Pending) $149,000 Scamp. ........................................................$220,000 1998 J/120, 1999 40’ 40' J-120 Baraka ................................................................$220,000 1998 40’ 40' J-120 Scamp 1999 J/120, Blew................................................................$249,000 Bayou.................................................$195,000 2000 40’ J-120 Secrets ..............................................................$249,000

1980 38’ 37' Morgan Banshee..................................(Sale $45,000 2006 Delphia............................................... BasePending) price $152,127 2006 37’ Delphia ........................................................................$149,500 Odin..............................................................129,600 2001 35' J/105, 2006 36’ Harrier ................................................................Call for Pricing. 1996 35’ 34' J-105 Invisible ....................................(Sale Pending) $135,000 Zephyr. .............................................SOLD $225,000 2004 J/109, 2001 35’ J-105 Hay Viento ........................................................$110,000 1980 34' Peterson, Yellowbird.....................................SOLD $34,500 1997 35’ J-105 Crabster ....................................(Just Reduced) $95,000 Electra...................................Call for $127,000 pricing 2007 Cross Current, 2002 35’ 33' J-105 Hibiscus ................................................(SOLD) 2004 33’ 33' J-109 Good Jybrations ................................................$229,000 SOLD $119,000 2005 J/100, Faster Horses.................................. 2006 33’ Delphia ..............................................................Call for Pricing 2007 Delphia................................................Base price $130,823 2006 33’ 33' Surfhunter ..........................................................Call for Pricing 1998 32’ 32' J -32 Tehani ................................................................$115,000 1979 Lobster/swordfish, Amber K....................................$60,000 1995 32’ B-32 IOTA ......................................................................$32,000 1984 29' J/29, Zulu.................................................................$25,000 1993 30’ J-92 Zippy ........................................................(SOLD) $46,000 2007 Hunt Harrier...........................................................$175,000 2007 25’ 25' Hunt Harrier ........................................................Call for Pricing 2004 22’ 26' Aqua ProJim.......................................................SOLD Raider 665 ....................................................$48,500 $32,000 2004 J/80,

2002 40' C&C 121 Xpress, Anasazi.....................................$215,000

2001 26' J/80, Whiplash.......................................... Pending $31,000

Sell your boat with us we are always looking for quality listings.

– San Diego

Shelter Island #106 2330 2330 Shelter Island Dr.Dr. #106 Diego, 92106 SanSan Diego, CACA 92106 PH: (619) SD office: (619) 224-6200 224-6200 FAX: (408) (619) 218-2828 224-6278 SF office: Jeff Brown John Bohne Ken Bertino Jeff Brown John Bohne Barry Demak www.jk3yachts.com www.jk3yachts.com

Dealers for

NetSan Diego

and Hawaii

January, 2008 •

Latitude 38

• Page 19

Better Sail Control

arhauer's adjustable genoa car system is the answer to leaving the cockpit and going forward to move the genoa car with every wind shift and sail adjustment. Experience better sail control with less effort. With four to one purchase, you can now easily control the travel of a block on any track from a single line led aft.

Now tack better and spend less: E-Z G-1UB 1 in. track $242.00 E-Z G-2UB 1-1/4 in. track$302.50 E-Z G-3 1-1/4 in. track$363.00 optional swivel cams available: $96.80 per pair

Latitude 38

• January, 2008

for sailboats 30-36’ LOA

Optional swivel cam on slide

E-Z G-2UB

for sailboats 37-47’ LOA

Optional swivel cam on slide

E-Z G-3 1082 West Ninth Street, Upland, California 91786

Page 20 •

Optional swivel cam on slide

E-Z G-1UB

This is a four piece system consisting of two control cars and two end controls (port & starboard). A single line threads thru the two horizontal blocks on the easily-installed track cars for each track. Your genoa sheet slides thru the pivoting vertical block and back to the winch. Available in track widths of 1 and 1-1/4", built with rock solid durability that all Garhauer hardware is known for.

for sailboats 25-30’ LOA

Phone: (909) 985-9993 FAX: (909) 946-3913

email: garhauer@garhauermarine.com http://www.garhauermarine.com

Sail • BROKERS • Power Phone (562) 594-9716 Fax (562) 594-0710

6400 Marina Dr., Long Beach, CA 90803

NEW 105Mc – GEMINI, 2008 Best selling cruising catamaran in the U.S.! $154,500

36' CATALINA SLOOP, 2001 Better than new! Extensive upgrades include Avon RIB with 15hp OB. $119,500

57' BOWMAN KETCH, 1978 Five hours on rebuilt 110hp Perkins. New electronics. Top-quality bluewater cruiser. $249,000 ! 2 available

47' GIL'S CHOY CATAMARAN, 2002 Ready to cruise the South Pacific today! Everything as new, fully equipped. $400,000

42' CATALINA(s), 1992 & 1997 New diesel, fresh sails, 2 & 3-stateroom layouts. Very nice! From $115,000

42' WESTSAIL CUTTER, 1974 Only 400 original hours on 35hp Perkins. Great liveaboard with beautiful interior. A must see! $113,000

37' C&C, 1984 Pristine condition! Low hours on Yanmar diesel. Loads of upgrades! $74,500

35' CHARTER CATS WILDCAT, 2001 Space & performance in ready to cruise cat. 4 strms, hard bottom dinghy, good electronics. $209,000

30' ERICSON 30+, 1985 Quality production & sailing ability. Needs some cosmetic work. $18,000

Web site: www.yachtworld.com /fcyachts

45' HUNTER SLOOP, 1999 Very clean and sharp, shows little use. Just reduced, serious seller. $199,500

43' CONTESSA SLOOP, 1978 Performance designed by Doug Peterson. Quality construction. Must see! $139,000

•

email: flyingcloud@verizon.net

42' PEARSON KETCH, 1978 Aft cockpit, aft stateroom cruising ketch, excellent construction. $79,950

41' NAUTOR'S SWAN, 1973 Clean and ready to sail. New LP and new bottom paint in 5/07. 120,000

! 3 available

40' CARROL MARINE TRIPP 40, 1991 Beautiful boat! Sailing World's Boat of the Year People's Choice Award. $64,900

42' BINGHAM DOREANA KETCH, 1983 Well equipped, beautifully finished, easy to sail. Strong, seaworthy, ready to cruise. $59,000

41' YORKTOWN, 1985, $44,500 39' YORKTOWN, 1976, $39,500

38' HANS CHRISTIANS 1980-1986 From $99,000

! reduced

36' CATALINA SLOOP, 1984 Very clean. Owners moved out of country – need offers! $49,500

36' C&C SLOOP, 1981 Clean, good sails and equipment, FAST. $45,900

36' ISLANDER SLOOP, 1981 Meticulously maintained! New Universal diesel, new upholstery. Many upgrades. $69,500

35' CAL CRUISING SLOOP, 1974. Hard to find cruiser w/big interior. 90 hours on rebuilt Perkins. 2 fuel tanks hold 170 gals. $39,000

35' ALLIED SEABREEZE, 1964 Classic Plastic with beautiful lines. In great condition. Yanmar diesel. $29,500

32' DOWNEAST, 1976 Clean pocket cruiser. Low hours on new Volvo diesel! $45,000

33' RANGER SLOOP, 1974 Tall rig, race sail inventory, new mast and standing rigging. Zodiac & outboard. $13,500

30' BABA CUTTER, 1983 Low hours on Yanmar diesel. Serious seller, priced right! $55,000

Some boats shown may be sisterships. January, 2008 •

Latitude 38

• Page 21

Page 22 •

Latitude 38

• January, 2008

Along with a great place to berth your boat, San Leandro Marina offers you a wealth of recreational opportunities… • 27 holes of championship golf • A waterfront hotel • Fine dining at 2 restaurants overlooking the water • 40 acres of shoreline park and picnic sites • 300 acres of tidal wetlands on the Bay Trail • 2 active yacht clubs

(510) 357-7447

www.ci.san-leandro.ca.us/slmarina.html

Linda Carroll 866-377-3948 ext. 7215

www.essexcredit.com

FULL SERVICE BOATYARD NTER W ❄ I ❄ ❄ Haulouts for ❄

❄❄

❄

❄ Bottom Painting ❄

Small yard offers specialized service.

❄

NEW

MARINE DIESELS

Perkins DIESELS

10% OFF GENUINE PERKINS PARTS Mention this ad ~ Good until 1/31/08

Sales Service Parts

ship We ide! w d l r wo

Perkins Authorized Master Service Dealer #11 Embarcadero Cove Oakland, CA 94606

(800) 400-2757 (510) 534-2757

Two blocks from West Marine

www.britishmarine-usa.com Page 24 •

Latitude 38

• January, 2008

Call Bruce Becker or Clark Atkinson (415) 673-1923 (415) 516-4860

800-433-8050 Fax (415) 673-1927

LIST YOUR BOAT! www.nelsonyachts.net (510) 337-2870 • (877) 517-8281 HUDSON FORCE 50, 1974 Spacious, multi-level, inside steering, large open decks. Just $189,000

47’ CHEOY LEE OFFSHORE, 1974 Just back from Baja adventures and ready to go again. $95,000

PETERSON 34 contessa-built offshore one design

Chad Freitas Justin Scott Ruth Scott, Broker

DEFIANCE 41’ SHOCK, 1984 Ready to race singlehanded. $68,000

OLSON 40 Prime Time Reduced price! Ready to race. $69,000

SILVERTON 34, 1985

Bulldog

Ready for fishing. Great liveaboard.

$37,000

$49,900

UNIFLITE 32 A comfortable and versatile cruiser. $24,400

SAIL 50’ Hudson Force, ‘81.......................189,000 45’ Explorer, ‘79...................................Inquire 41’ CT Yankee Clipper, ‘74........... Make Offer 40’ Fast, ‘80.........................................15,000 40’ Farr One-Ton, ‘81...........................Inquire 39’ Vagabond cutter, ‘75......................89,900 33’ 11:Metre, ‘90..................................Inquire 33’ Cape Caribe, ‘73............................23,000 32’ Westsail, ‘75...................................60,000 32’ Columbia 5.5 Sabre, ‘67......... Make Offer 30’ Carter, ‘76......................................19,950 29’ Cal 2-29, ‘72..................................13,900

28’ Albin sloop, ‘82...............................14,900 28’ Wylie Hawkfarm, ‘78............... Make Offer 27’ Hunter............................................Inquire 27’ Catalina, ‘79............................ Make Offer POWER 35’ U.S. Military Amphibious, ‘63..90,000 32’ Uniflite.....................................24,400 NEW HUNTERS 21.5’ Hunter 216, demo ‘04..........13,499 17’ Hunter 170, new ‘06...............7,599 14.5’ Hunter 146, new ‘06...............4,999 14’ Hunter 140, new ‘06...............4,499 10’ Hunter Xcite, new ‘05.............2,599 January, 2008 •

Latitude 38

• Page 25

Specializing

Bluewater Cruising Yachts

Visit our website at www.vallartayachts.net for our complete inventory of more than 60 quality yachts.

J/160 S yren 50' Gulfstar

46' Beneteau

45' Jeanneau

45' Liberty

40' Passport

38' Catalina

Nick and Carol Rau Paradise Village Marina

Ph/Fax: 011-52-322-297-2249

www.vallartayachts.net nick@vallartayachts.net

US: 314-667-4111 (rings in MX)

Local Cell: 044-322-227-2944

Start the New Year out with the best J/160 on the planet, Syren at $799,000 and right here in Paradise! Exclusive Mexico Dealer for Sabre and Back Cove Yachts

AGAPE VILLAGES New Coast Fabrics is a distributor for

Polish and Plastic, Canvas and Vinyl Cleaners Inflatable Boat Cleaner is an easy-to-use biodegradable cleaner. Dissolves dirt, oil, creosote, diesel soot and scuff marks on inflatable boats, fenders, rub rails, etc.

FOSTER CHILDREN NEED YOUR HELP!

Super Swabby Bilge Cleaner dissolves oil, grease, gasoline, scum and sludge, leaving a clean fresh scent. Biodegradable.

Donate your boat to support

Boat Wash with Carnauba Wax cleans and maintains waxed finishes on boats, cars, planes and recreational vehicles.

AGAPE VILLAGES

We also carry complete lines of marine vinyls, carpets and WeatherMax outdoor fabric.

New Coast Fabrics 1955 Davis Street, San Leandro, CA

800.772.3449 Page 26 •

Latitude 38

• January, 2008

Tax Deductible

1-800-513-6560

Best Buys for Your Eyes Tahiti with Compass Model 2677755

Moorea with Compass Model 2677722

Raiatea Model 2677680

Waterproof 7 x 50 Binoculars When it comes to choosing a pair of binoculars for marine use, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the jillions of available options. But if superb performance at an affordable price is what you want, you can comfortably narrow your focus to one binocular brand—West Marine’s Island Series binoculars. Our complete line of marine binoculars combines truly superb optical performance with rugged, waterproof and fog-proof construction at prices that make them exceptional values. But you don’t have to take our word for it. Practical Sailor magazine’s August 2006 issue rated our Tahiti “Excellent” and a “Best Buy.” Better yet, prove it to yourself by stopping by one of our convenient store locations and seeing (and we mean that literally) the difference for yourself!

Visit our Alameda Sailing Superstore! 730 Buena Vista Ave. • 510-521-4865 We have 22 stores in Northern California. Log onto westmarine.com or call 1-800-BOATING to find the store nearest you. January, 2008 •

Latitude 38

• Page 27

2330 Shelter Island Dr. # 207 San Diego, CA 92106 info@yachtfinders.biz www.yachtfinders.biz

(619) 224-2349 • Toll Free (866) 341-6189

51' PASSPORT CC, '84 $235,000 Designed to cruise the world, this Passport 51 provides the ultimate in safety and comfort with no compromise to speed and ease of handling.

47' ROYAL PASSPORT, '95 $398,500 If you are a discriminating buyer looking for a perfect yacht, then Emerald should be at the top of your list. Just back from the South Pacific!

45' HARDIN CC KETCH, '81 $157,000 This classy, offshore vessel with graceful lines and an open and comfortable interior layout will take you around the Bay or around the globe.

44' PETERSON CC, '76 $119,000 Full of quality upgrades with well-maintained electrical and mechanical systems and custom woodwork in the interior, this is your dream boat!

44' LANCER PH MS, '80 $99,000 This ultimate spacious motorsailer is well loved and maintained by her current owner. She looks good and goes fast with amazing fuel efficiency.

42' CATALINA TRI-CABIN, '89 $120,000 This very clean vessel has an owner's private stateroom with separate head and shower and two large guest cabins and guest head with shower.

41' C&C RACER/CRUISER, '87 $115,000 Win races with a PHRF rating of 72, while providing accommodations for family cruising. Amity II has been nicely maintained by original owners.

41' NEWPORT 41S, '80 $59,500 The Newport 41S has a reputation as a sound, fast, sailing vessel. This one has earned many trophies. Low hours on the 2005 Westerbeke diesel.

39' BENETEAU 393, '03 $169,500 Opportunity is a stable, comfortable cruising sailboat offering performance and Beneteau reliability. CE-rated Class A for offshore capabilities.

34' HUNTER, '85 $38,500 This fast, comfortable, coastal cruiser has custom cabinetry in the salon. Check out the easy-drop mainsail bag and upgraded headsail furling.

34' CATALINA, '87 $54,900 Extremely clean and well-maintained Catalina 34 with many quality upgrades. Transferable liveaboard slip with marina approval!

30' CATALINA, '80 $17,000 This yacht is outfitted with the basics for Bay or coastal sailing. She's an honest boat with good bones and tremendous potential for upgrade.

richardson bay marina formerly Kappas Marina

MODERN FACILITIES IN A WELL-PROTECTED HARBOR Concrete Dock System Well Maintained Facilities

Beautiful Surroundings

• DEEP WATER BERTHS: BASIN AND CHANNEL DREDGED • CARD KEY SECURITY SYSTEM • DOCK CARTS • PUMP OUT STATION • AMPLE PARKING • CLEAN SHOWER AND TOILET FACILITIES • IN WALKING DISTANCE: MARKET/DELI, LAUNDROMAT, RESTAURANT • AT EACH BERTH: LARGE STORAGE BOX, METERED ELECTRICITY, WATER, PHONE HOOKUPS

BERTH YOUR BOAT IN SAUSALITO 415 • 332 • 5510

100 Gate Six Road, Sausalito • Fax (415) 332-5812 Page 28 •

Latitude 38

• January, 2008

SMOOT H QUIETEER… R!

Our engines idle smoother and quieter because of our high inertia flywheel. This is one of the many Beta Marine exclusive features that make our diesel engines easier to live with.

Relieves Gas Pains

What a Concept! It is engineered to be easily serviced.

• Integral lithium-manganese battery pack • Weighs just 26.9 lb. • 72.6 lb. thrust • No pollutants • Quiet running

Beta Marine superb propulsion engines, using Kubota diesel 10-90hp including our famous Atomic 4 replacements. Also available: Marine Generators up to 30 kw. Regional Dealer:

Beta Marine US, LTD. HIRSCHFELD YACHT LLC P.O. Box 5, Arapahoe, NC 28510 www.betamarine.net

877-227-2473 • 252-249-2473

265 Gate 5 Rd, Sausalito, CA 94965 www.enginerite.com

415-332-3507

info@betamarinenc.com

Alameda Prop & Machine

Custom Stainless Steel Fabrication & Repair

(510) 522-7899

(800) 774-7899

www.marinepropellers.com at Grand Marina

Folding & Feathering Props Are Faster!

Folds up for compact stowage

Travel 801 Electric Motor Finally! A practical alternative to gas-powered outboards that’s ideal for tenders, small keelboats and sportboats. The Torqeedo Travel 801 eliminates the mess and potential hazards of gas tanks along with oil changes, tune-ups, fumes and that infernal racket. The Torqeedo combines an advanced lithium-manganese battery, highly efficient synchronous permanent magnet motor and variable pitch prop to produce thrust equivalent to a 2 hp combustion motor. It weighs a mere 26.9 lb. (with battery) and can be folded for easy stowage and transport. If you’re ready to say good-bye to gas pains, say hello to a better propulsion solution—the Torqeedo Travel 801 Electric Motor. Long & Short Shaft versions available.

Best Wishes for a Happy New Year! Prop Sales, Repair, Sizing Wide Selection of USED PROPS Inboard • Outboard • Folding • Feathering

Latitude 38

• Page 29

a l l e n a

YACHT BROKERS

a y

1150 Ballena Blvd. #121, Alameda, CA 94501 ✦ (510) 865-8600 ✦ Fax (510) 865-5560 2736 Shelter Island Drive, San Diego, CA 92106 ✦ (619) 523-1151 ✦ www.ballenabayyachts.com ✦ www.trawlers.com ✦ www.yachtworld.com/ballenabay ✦

California dealer for

New 42' Valiant Coming in March 2008

SISTERSHIP

33' MASON CUTTER, 1987 Bristol condition. Professionally maintained. A must see boat! $99,500

39' FAIRWEATHER, 1989. Proven ocean cruiser and great liveaboard. $140,500

Check our Web sites for other fine listings!

The Patron Saint of Canvas…

St. Arbuck and the crew wish you a very

Happy New Year! Page 30 •

Latitude 38

• January, 2008

41' cooper pilothouse, 1981 Comfortable, bluewater-capable boat. $95,000

Custom Canvas & Interiors

The Gianola Family has been designing and fabricating custom canvas and interiors since 1969. Gianola & Sons offers you the best in quality, more choices, and personal service.

360 Gate 5 Road Sausalito, CA 94965 (415) 332-3339

www.gianolacanvas.com

A Flare For The

Dramatic

GLEN COVE MARINA Unc 54ft Solivered p AvailablNow e

Orion SOLAS-Approved Flares You don’t want to think about it. We don’t want to think about it. But good seamanship demands that each of us be prepared for on the water emergencies in order to prevent avoidable dramas. When the unthinkable happens, you want to attract as much attention as possible from potential rescuers. Which is why you want the brightest, longest burning, highest flying flares you can get your hands on. And SOLAS-approved flares are the best you can buy. Waterproof, easy to fire and extremely bright, SOLAS flares significantly exceed US Coast Guard requirements. The dramatic difference has to be seen to be appreciated. And, after all, being seen is what it’s all about.

Located on the Carquinez Straits • 135-ft. Guest Dock • Yacht Clubs Welcome • Café & General Store • Picnic & Event Areas • Great Fishing Spots Nearby

• Free Wireless Internet • Pump Out • Security • Showers & Laundry

Now Available: 24-36 ft. Covered Berths • Up to 55 ft. Uncovered Berths

GLEN COVE MARINA 707-552-3236 2000 Glen Cove Road, Vallejo, CA 94591 www.glencovemarina.net • glencovemarina@gmail.com

West Marine has Orion SOLAS-approved flares in several styles for your boating safety: Red Parachute Flare, Red Handheld Flare and Orange Smoke Canister.

Latitude 38

• Page 31

We Still Offer More!

Making boating easier – and more fun! – is what a marina should be all about. That's why Oyster Cove Marina rates number one with many Bay Area boaters. It's an exclusive yet reasonable facility of 219 berths, accommodating pleasurecraft in slips up to 60-ft long. Oyster Cove is the private Peninsula marina closest to bluewater boating. Want to cruise to Sausalito, lunch at Tiburon, or sail to Angel Island? How about a day's fishing outside the Gate, or a weekend at the Delta? No other private Peninsula marina is better situated or offers nicer, fresher surroundings.

385 OYSTER POINT BOULEVARD #8A, SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO

(650) 952 - 5540

BayRisk Classic

• Berths 30 feet to 60 feet • Double Finger Concrete Slips • Telephone Available • Five Minutes from SFO • Heated Dressing Rooms & Showers

• Laundry Room • Nightly Security Patrol • Complimentary Ice • Cable TV/High Speed Internet • Recently Dredged • End Ties Available at $5.75/Ft!

in Southern California…

A First Class Full Service Facility Serving the Entire Pacific Coast 150 Ton & 30 Ton Travelifts

VENTURA HARBOR BOATYARD Open 6 Days a Week! Competitive Rates ~ Professional Staff

BayRisk Insurance Brokers, Inc. 800-647-2025 Visit our Website www.bayrisk.com 1920 Minturn Street • Alameda, CA 94501 Page 32 •

Latitude 38

• January, 2008

For quality and attention to detail you can count on our commitment to your satisfaction.

(805) 654-1433 1415 Spinnaker Drive, Ventura, CA 93001 www.vhby.com

Get AMERICA's Finest B o at i n g E d u cat i o n

Optimize Your Spring

Lineup Location Phone # Antioch (925) 377-2628 Marin (415) 883-6777 Martinez (925) 377-2628 Monterey Bay (831) 624-3333 Oakland (510) 814-1092 Sacramento (916) 782-1240 San Francisco (650) 871-4447

Location Phone # San Leandro (650) 592-3604 San Mateo (650) 592-3604 Santa Clara (408) 225-6097 Santa Rosa (707) 793-0538 Stockton (209) 951-3862 Vallejo (707) 552-6287 Walnut Creek (925) 377-2628

www.usps.org/localusps/d25/squadrons

Get Set for Spring Training Savvy managers in every sport know that laying the foundation for success begins in the off-season. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why now is the ideal time for you to scrutinize the sail handling systems aboard your boat. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for ways to make your systems run quicker, smoother and stronger, look to West Marineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s huge selection of sailboat running rigging.

+PIO ,SFUTDINFS

1SPGFTTJPOBM 1BTTBHFNBLFS 4BJMJOH 8SJUFS

h) #!. 4 )-!').% 3!),).' $/7.7).$

7)4(/54 -9 7()3+%2 0/,%v * NBLF PÃµ TIPSF QBTTBHFT GPS B MJWJOH BOE * DPVOU PO NZ 'PSFTQBSÂ¥ XIJTLFS QPMF *UAT BO BMVNJOVN BOE DBSCPO UFMFTDPQJOH NPEFM UIBU HJWFT NF HSFBU n FYJCJMJUZ XIFO QPMJOH PVU NZ IFBETBJM *U JT SPCVTU XFMM FOHJOFFSFE BOE FBTZ UP TFU 8IFO UIF XJOE QJQFT VQ * N BCMF UP TBJM PO B EFFQ SFBDI BOE JG JU CVJMET NPSF * TJNQMZ GVSM UIF TBJM BEKVTU UIF QPMF MFOHUI BOE LFFQ CMBTUJOH BMPOH

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got everything from the latest super-fiber synthetics to affordable standbys in every combination of sizes, colors and constructions. And weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got rigging experts who can help you choose precisely the right lines for every rigging system aboard. We can even splice, taper and strip the lines to ensure theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re perfectly tailored to your needs at our Alameda Sailing Superstore. Get set for a great season now by optimizing your lineup at your nearby West Marine.

#OMBO

s 0OLES !VAILABLE FOR "OATS TO &EET s !LUMINUM #ARBON &IBER OR #ONSTRUCTION s #HOICE OF 0ATENTED ,INE #ONTROLÂ© OR 4WIST,OCKÂ© !DJUSTMENT s ,ARGER 0OLES #OME WITH ,IGHT 3TRONG 5LTRAÂ© %NDS

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Page 34 •

Latitude 38

• January, 2008

CALENDAR Jan. 1 — New Year's resolution: Sail more! Jan. 2-30 — Wednesday Yachting Luncheon Series at St. Francis YC, 12-2 p.m., $13.50. Enjoy lunch and a dynamic speaker every Weds. All YC's members welcome. More info under the 'Events' tab at www.stfyc.com. Jan. 2, 16 — Pt. Fermin Singles Sailing YC invites singles to two monthly meetings. 6 p.m. at Acapulco Restaurant in San Pedro. Info, (310) 427-4817 or www.pfsyc.com. Jan. 4-13 — Northern California Boat Show at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton. Nearly 1,000 boats from 7 to 70 feet, though most sailboats are on the smaller side. Adults $10; Kids under 15 free. Info, www.ncma.com. Jan. 6-27 — Free sailing at Pier 40 every Sunday courtesy of BAADS. Info, (415) 281-0212 or www.baads.org. Jan. 8 — Rope Splicing seminar at Sausalito West Marine, 4:30 p.m. Three-strand and braid. Info, (415) 332-0202. Jan. 8, 10, 17, 19, 22, 24 — Boat Smart course by Marin Power & Sail Squadron at Kell Education Center in Novato, 7-9 p.m. For info or to register, call (415) 924-2712. Jan. 9-Feb. 13 — Basic Coastal Navigation by Flotilla 12-2 at Oakland YC, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Followed by six-week Advanced course. Info, (510) 601-6239 or nancy@windwave.com. Jan. 9 — Heavy Weather Sailing class at Sailing Education Adventures HQ at Upper Fort Mason, 7 p.m. Membership required but only $75 per year. Info, www.sailsea.org. Jan. 10 — Single skippers and crew of all skill levels are invited to the Single Sailors Association monthly meeting at Oakland YC, 6:30 p.m. Info, www.singlesailors.org. Jan. 10, 24, Feb. 7, 21 — Sailing Adventure Lecture Series sponsored by Ventura Maritime Foundation at City Hall, 7:30 p.m. Speakers John Neal, the Winson family, Nigel Calder and Quintin Hoard share their wisdom in this four-part series. $15 per lecture or $50 for the series. Info, (805) 794-1747. Jan. 12 — Get your Amateur (Ham) Technician Class radio license or upgrade your class to General in one day. Study session and exam at Dianne Feinstein Elementary School in San Francisco, $30. Info, www.baears.com/index.php. Jan. 12 — Outboard Maintenance class from Sailing Education Adventures, 12 p.m. Membership required but only $75 per year. Info, www.sailsea.org. Jan. 19 — Cruising Before & After lecture from a skipper about to leave and one back after 14 years. Oakland YC, 9 a.m.noon. Info, (510) 522-6868 or cwong@oaklandyachtclub.com. Jan. 22 — Full moon on Tuesday night. Jan. 22 — Boating Safety course by Santa Clara Power Squadron. Call DeWayn at (408) 225-6097 for info or go to www.usps.org/localusps/santaclara/PE.htm to register. Jan. 24-Feb. 2 — Seattle Boat Show at Qwest Field Event Center and the Boats Afloat Show at Lake Union's Chandler's Cove combine to create the largest boat show on the West Coast. Visit www.seattleboatshow.com for more info. Jan. 26 — Join a SF Maritime Park Ranger for a free tour of the unique collection of small craft berthed on Hyde Street Pier, 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Info, (415) 447-5000. January, 1978 — It Was Thirty Years Ago from the article Origin of the Species: The earliest fiberglass production sailboat came out of the molds in Sausalito on Saturday, November 24, 1956. That boat is now more than old enough to swagger into any California bar and demand a drink. In January of 1957, that same sailboat was loaded on a train and shipped east for the New York Boat Show. The boat had not yet been in the water — she hadn't even been com-

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SAN FRANCISCO BAY 1070 Marina Village Pkwy, #108, Alameda (510) 523-8500 FAX (510) 522-0641

Page 36 •

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• January, 2008

CALENDAR pleted. A special caboose was rented and equipped with tools, and a work crew commissioned to finish the boat as she rolled across the country. This novel idea was a flop, as the weather hit -17° in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The boat was completed in New York, just in time to be presented to the eastern yachting establishment. It created an uproar: Herreshoff's 'frozen snot' had finally arrived. Frederick Coleman was the man behind the boat, and his firm was Coleman Plastics of Sausalito. The boat was the Bounty II, designed by Phillip Rhodes. (The original Bounty had been a 38-ft wood family cruiser that Rhodes had designed in the late '30s.) It was offered at $3,877, complete with an inboard engine, at the 1940 Boat Show, and was a success until WWII broke out. Curiously, many of the wood Bounties had been built by a Coleman Boat Works in Florida. Legend has it that Frederick Coleman had a wood Bounty and that a number of local sailors expressed an interest in having a similar boat. With that impetus, Coleman decided to set up a company to produce the boat in fiberglass, and had Rhodes modify the original for fiberglass construction. Numerous events over the years have borne out the claims of Bounty quality and craftsmanship. One Bounty back east had a hull-speed encounter with another sailboat and suffered only scratches and the loss of her fiberglass mast. Another fell off the ways and incurred only cosmetic damage. One notoriously reckless local Bounty owner gave the helm to his brother one night and told him to keep a close watch for the Knox buoy. His eagle-eyed brother finally found the buoy with the starboard bow at eight knots. The total damage was the loosening of a few inches of fiberglass tape around the integral water tank that was repaired in less than an hour. Not bad for an 18-year-old boat! Who built the second fiberglass production boat? A man by the name of Ray Creekmore, and not only were his masts fiberglass, so were his booms — but that's another story. Feb. 5-Apr. 29 — Boating Skills and Seamanship course taught by USCGA Flotilla 12 at Sausalito Cruising Club, Tuesdays 7:30-9:30 p.m. $75 fee. For info, contact Margrit at (415) 924-3739 or margritkeyes@sbcglobal.net. Racing Jan. 1 — Master Mariners' New Year's Day Race & Chili Potluck at Pt. San Pablo YC in Pt. Richmond. Info, (415) 3641656 or www.mastermariners.org. Jan. 14 — Sail Selection and Repair seminar for the Singlehanded TransPac at Sequoia YC. Info, www.sfbaysss.org. Jan. 19 — Richmond YC Little Daddy Regatta. Big Daddy isn't until March 8-9. Info, www.richmondyc.org. Jan. 21-28 — Acura Key West Race Week, the best regatta in the country. Info, www.premiere-racing.com. Jan. 26 — Three Bridge Fiasco, one of the oddest and most entertaining races ever invented, the first SSS event of the season. Info, www.sfbaysss.org. Jan. 26 — Sequoia YC's first singlehanded race of the year. Info, John Draeger at jdraeger@sonic.net. Jan. 27-Feb. 2 — US Sailing's Rolex Miami Olympic Classes Regatta (OCR), a Grade 1 ISAF event with seven Olympic and Paralympic classes. Info, www.ussailing.org. Feb. 20-Mar. 1 — San Diego-Puerto Vallarta Race, a 1,000mile downwind race followed by MEXORC. See www.sdyc. org/pv for details. Feb. 23 — Island YC Sadie Hawkins Race on the Estuary. Woman skipper, full crew. Chowder Challenge afterwards. Joanne McFee, (510) 521-7442 or iycracing@yahoo.com.

January, 2008 •

Latitude 38

• Page 37

“1 IN CLASS” st

lable Avai iew! To V

CALENDAR July 12 — 30th anniversary of the Singlehanded Transpac from SF to Hanalei. If you've been wanting to prove your mettle, this could be your year. Info, www.sfbaysss.org. July 14-19 — 15th Biennial Fun Race to Hawaii, aka the Pacific Cup. For details on the race and seminars, visit www. pacificcup.org. Midwinter Regattas

The New J/122 These three words, ‘1st in Class’ have already been found next to ‘J/122’ many times after the recent introduction of this latest performance J/Boat. Starting right here on San Francisco Bay with the 2007 Big Boat Series where the brand new J/122 TKO took her class in IRC ‘C’. But it’s not a local phenomenon, the J/122 has won on the East Coast in events such as the Manhasset Fall Series and in Europe where the J/122 dominated the 2007 RORC IRC series with six firsts. Bring the J/122 home to the family and you’ll likely be nominated ‘1st in Class’ by your spouse and kids. For not only will they enjoy the silverware from the race weekends, they’ll enjoy the comfortable sailing motion and the spacious, relaxing accommodations below. Like all J/Boats, the 122 is a sailboat first but it doesn’t leave the rest of life’s pleasures ashore. Both the two or three cabin layout will make for very agreeable cruising for the whole family. The J/122 is well balanced, has proven performance under IRC and will excite any passionate sailor. Give us a call and have a look at the latest from J/Boats. “...certainly in terms of feeling and handling the 122 was a joy.” – Andi Robertson, Yachts & Yachting

Nothing Beats a J/Boat Web page: www.sailcal.com Email: info@sailcal.com

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NEWPORT BEACH 251 Shipyard Way Cabin A (949) 675-8053 FAX (949) 675-0584

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Page 38 •

Latitude 38

• January, 2008

SEATTLE

ALAMEDA YC & ISLAND YC — Estuary Midwinters: 1/13, 2/10, 3/16. Joanne McFee, (510) 521-7442. BERKELEY YC — Midwinters: 1/12-13, 2/9-10, 2/24. Bobbi, (925) 939-9885. BERKELEY YC — Chowder Races: Sundays through March except when it conflicts with above. Paul, (510) 540-7968. CAL SAILING CLUB — Year-round Sunday morning Lido 14 races, intraclub only. Ed, racing_chair@cal-sailing.com. CORINTHIAN YC — Midwinters: 1/19-20 & 2/16-17. Allyn Schafer, (415) 435-4812 or racing@cyc.org. ENCINAL YC — Jack Frost Series: 1/12, 2/9, 3/8. Charles Hodgkins, rearcommodore@encinal.org. GOLDEN GATE YC — Seaweed Soup Series: 1/5, 2/2, 3/1. Gary Salvo, (916) 363-4566. OAKLAND YC — Sunday Brunch Series: 1/6, 1/20, 2/17, 2/24, 3/2. Steve, (510) 373-3280. REGATTAPRO — West Marine Winter One Design: 1/12, 2/9. West Marine Winter Keelboat: 1/5, 2/2. Jeff Zarwell, (415) 595-8364 or jzarwell@regattapro.com. RICHMOND YC — Small Boat Midwinters: 1/6, 2/3, 3/2. Sue Hubbard, (510) 235-0184 or www.richmondyc.org. SANTA CRUZ YC — Midwinters: 1/19, 2/16, 3/16. Info, (831) 425-0690. SAUSALITO YC — Sunday Midwinters: 1/6, 2/3, 3/2. J. Rigler, (415) 332-6367 or race@syconline.org. SEQUOIA YC — Winter Series: 2/9, 3/1. J. Draeger, (650) 244-6529. Redwood Cup: 1/6, 2/24, 3/9. R. Brown, (650) 430-5567. SOUTH BAY YRA — Midwinters: 1/5, 2/2, 3/1. Larry Westland, (510) 459-5566. SOUTH BEACH YC — Island Fever Midwinters: 1/19, 2/16, 3/15, 3/24 (makeup). Info, www.southbeachyc.org. VALLEJO YC — Tiny Robbins Midwinters: 1/6, 2/3. Info, (707) 643-1254. Mexico, The Season Ahead Jan. 29-Feb. 3 — 7th Annual Zihua Sail Fest in Zihuatanejo, Mexico. Five days of parties, contests, potlucks, races, BBQs, auctions and chili cook-offs are what attracted over 100 boats to last year's event, but the real payoff was raising money for the Nueva Creaciones School for indigenous children. These kids, many of whom are orphaned, can't attend Mexican schools until they learn to speak Spanish. Last year nearly $95,000 U.S. was raised — thanks in large part to matching funds rasied by the Bellack and Underwood Foundations. To join in the fun and help some needy kids — even if you can't make it to the parties — go to www.zihuasailfest.com. Feb. 5 — Pacific Puddle Jump Kick-Off Party at Rick's Bar in Zihuatanejo from 2-5 p.m. Latitude 38 and Rick's Bar team up to host the first of two get-togethers for South Pacific-bound cruisers. It gives everyone a chance to compare notes and finalize radio skeds, and also gives Latitude's Andy Turpin a chance to interview you and take your photo for the magazine. Open only to people who are Puddle Jumping this year. For details, email andy@latitude38.com.

WE WANT TO SELL YOUR BOAT! CALL TODAY – DOCK SPACE AVAILABLE! Don't wait another day to have the J/Boat Experience, visit our sales dock and choose from pre-owned J/105s, J/109, J/120, J/42 and J/44 Santa Cruz 52, 2000 Natazak

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This SC 52 is pristine. Major refit in summer '06: full inshore/offshore racing and cruising equipment. There is no finer SC 52 on the planet. Now on our sales dock for you to view.

This performance cruising boat offers speed and comfort with the allure for adventure. Call today to fulfill your cruising dreams. Asking $364,599

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J/120, 1998 Hot Tamale This boat is 40' of fun, the J/120 can do it all race and cruise. Hot Tamale is turn key to race in Winter Series. On our sales dock! Asking $219,000

Andrews 56, 1992 Cipango Looking to win the Pacific Cup? This is your ride! Asking $389,000

56' Andrews 56, '92, Cipango........................................ $389,000 56' Andrews 56, '94, Charisma....................... Reduced! $364,599 53' HC-50, Break n' Wind, '01........................ Reduced! $498,000 53' Andrews, '90, Artemis**............................ Reduced! $325,000 52' Santa Cruz, '00, Natazak......................................... $629,000 45' Hunter 450, '00, Fall Asea........................ Reduced! $219,000 44' J/44, '90, Phoenix.................................................... $239,000 44' J/44, '90, BJ**........................................ New Listing $275,000 40' J/120, '98, Hot Tamale.............................. Reduced! $219,000 40' J/120, '95, Attitude**................................................ $199,000 40' Tripp, '92, Snake Oil**................................. Reduced! $85,900 40' Elan, '04, Tupelo Honey............................ Reduced! $239,000 39' Dehler 39, '03, Wild Redhead**............. New Listing $329,500 38' Ericson 38-200, '87, Yankee Rose**........... Reduced! $88,500

SISTERSHIP

J/105, Wianno, 1998 See this classic tiller boat, race ready on our sales dock today. Asking $87,000

37 Beneteau First 375, '85, Time Warp**...... New Listing $69,900 36' J/109, '03, Hull #43, Doc Holiday**................................ SOLD 36' 362 Sabre, '95, Soledad**............................................. SOLD 36' J/109, '05, Hull #204, Commotion............................ $239,900 36' J/109, '06, Surfer Girl**.......................... New Listing $229,000 35' J/35, '84, Courageous**............................................. $42,000 35' J/105, '99, Hull #255, Roadster**.............. Reduced! $105,000 35' J/105, '99, Hull #235, Life Is Good**........... Reduced! $99,000 35' J/105, '98, Wianno...................................... Reduced! $87,000 35' J/105, '02, Hull #523, Streaker................................. $139,000 35' One Design, '98, Double Trouble............................... $94,900 34' J/34, '85, The Zoo**.................................... Reduced! $29,900 33' J/100, '04, Hull #9, Brilliant*..................................... $134,900

33' J/100, '05, Hull #17**............................................... $125,000 32' Melges, Emotional Rescue............................................ SOLD 30' J/92, '93, Zippy, Waukesha, WI.................................. $54,500 30' Sea Ray 300 Sundar, '06, Sophie Ann**...Reduced!$149,950 29' J/29, '81, Macs*......................................................... $26,900 29' J/29, '84, Jolly J*........................................................ $25,000 29' Back Cove, '05, Diamond Lil.................................... $199,000 29' Back Cove, '06, Desiderata*.................................... $197,500 29' Cobalt 29, '01**........................................ New Listing $76,000 27' Choate, '79, Allegro Con Brio**.................................. $17,500 26' J/80, '00, Risky Business**......................... Reduced! $32,000 22' Aquapro Raider 665, '04............................................ $44,900 20' Harbor 20, '04**.......................................... Reduced! $22,500 19' Alerion Cat, '98, Whiskers**........................................... SOLD

OPEN BOAT WEEKEND january 12-13 NEWPORT BEACH

Web Site: www.sailcal.com Email: info@sailcal.com

J/44, 1990, Phoenix The pefect sailboat – liveaboard comfort, easily managed by two, offshore durability and speed to win Fastnet and Sydney-Hobart. Asking $239,000

Net

ALAMEDA

251 Shipyard Way Cabin A Newport Beach, CA 92663

1070 Marina Village Pkwy #108 Alameda, CA 94501

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* Indicates So. California Boats ** Indicates Seattle Boats

SEATTLE

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January, 2008 •

Latitude 38

• Page 39

CALENDAR Feb. 8 — Pacific Puddle Jump Kick-Off Party at Vallarta YC in Nuevo Vallarta from 2-5 p.m. Latitude 38, Paradise Marina and the Vallarta YC team up to host the final get-together for South Pacific-bound cruisers. For details, email andy@ latitude38.com. Mar. 1-8 — The 16th Annual Banderas Bay Regatta has expanded to a week of 'friendly racing for cruising boats'. The sailing conditions and the Paradise Marina venue couldn't be better. Everybody plays it safe because they're sailing their homes, and the entry is free. It's the perfect time and place to have family and friends fly down and join you in the tropics. In fact, you'd have to be nuts to miss this one. The Regatta is part of the month-long Festival Náutico Vallarta. For details, visit www.banderasbayregatta.com. April 11-13 — La Paz Bay Fest. This will be the fourth year for this descendant of the (in)famous La Paz Race Week. An event for cruisers that includes races, potlucks, cruising seminars and other fun activities for the family. More info on Bay Fest 2008 will soon be found at www.clubcruceros.org. May 1-4 — Loreto Fest and Cruisers' Music Festival. This classic Baja event, started to clean up Puerto Escondido, draws a very large crowd of cruisers and Baja land-travellers for a chili cook-off, dinghy races and other water activities, the Candeleros Classic race, and lots of participant-created music. The goals are to have fun and raise lots of money for Mexican charities in Puerto Escondido and Loreto. Visit www. hiddenportyachtclub.com. Please send your calendar items by the 10th of the month to calendar@latitude38.com. If you're totally old-school, mail them to Latitude 38 (Attn: Calendar), 15 Locust Avenue, Mill Valley, CA, 94941 or fax them to us at (415) 383-5816. But please, no phone-ins! Calendar listings are for marine-related events that are either free or don't cost much to attend. The Calendar is not meant to support commercial enterprises.

January Weekend Currents date/day slack 12/29Sat 1154 12/30Sun 0004 1301 12/31Mon 0052 1404 1/01Tues 0141 1501 1/05Sat 1032 1/06Sun 0034 1113 1/12Sat 1001 2223 1/13Sun 1102 2304 1/19Sat 0943 2353 1/20Sun 1040 1/26Sat 1015 2229 1/27Sun 1113 2310 Page 40 •

Latitude 38

• January, 2008

max 0224/3.3F 1429/2.0F 0311/2.9F 1539/1.9F 0358/2.6F 1654/2.0F 0443/2.3F 1802/2.2F 0154/1.4E 1358/4.3E 0236/1.5E 1440/4.5E 0051/3.5F 1250/2.3F

slack 0541 1714 0623 1825 0704 1940 0742 2052 0458 1809 0539 1849 0417 1533

max 0812/2.5E 2013/3.2E 0905/2.6E 2107/2.5E 0958/2.9E 2205/1.9E 1049/3.2E 2307/1.6E 0748/2.1F 2120/3.2F 0829/2.2F 2157/3.4F 0645/2.8E 1852/4.0E

0131/3.3F 1347/2.3F

0452 1636

0732/3.1E 1943/3.4E

0100/1.7E 1315/5.2E

0359 1722

0657/2.6F 2033/4.0F

0201/1.9E 1410/5.5E 0049/3.4F 1258/2.5F

0458 1813 0402 1553

0754/2.8F 2124/4.2F 0637/3.0E 1846/3.4E

0128/3.0F 1354/2.2F

0440 1653

0722/3.0E 1933/2.7E

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Latitude 38

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Latitude 38

• January, 2008

'LECTRONIC / RICHARD

speed," says owner Bill Conron.

⇑⇓CHEATING IN THE HA-HA? I just completed the '07 Ha-Ha, and want to express my thanks for the great job the organizers did toward making this a safe and informative start to a cruising experience for my wife and me. We sailed in a division with two heavy displacement sisterships and quite a few lighter displacement boats of the same length. We didn't break any records for speed with our boat, but were gratified to find out at the awards ceremony that it wasn't how fast you got there, but how much you sailed in getting there. But we do think that the Poobah missed awarding a significant prize for the one boat in our division that was able to defy the laws of physics — although he did get the first place award for having sailed all the way. Let me explain: During the second leg, we sailed side by side with this boat, crossing paths three times during the first day and night. During the second day, the winds were too light for our vessel — we need at least 10 knots of wind to do three knots — so we motored down the rhumb line at 6.5 knots directly toward Bahia Santa Maria. Imagine our surprise to see the sistership that we'd been competing with all day anchor next to us an hour after we got there, saying that they had sailed the entire way. Somehow he must have made six knots of speed in 10 knots of wind directly to Bahia Santa Maria, or perhaps he made more like eight knots — even though his boat has a hull speed of 7.8 knots — if he sailed outside to find winds that no one else could. In either case, he defied the physical laws of the universe. At the least, one would have expected the lighter displacement boats in our division to have beaten a heavy displacement boat that had sailed all the way. During the last leg of the trip, we needed to get a crewmember to Cabo by a certain time that required we make a six-knot average speed during the entire leg. So we sailed directly down the course line wingon-wing and, whenever the wind fell below 15 knots, brought in the sails and cranked up the engine to maintain the six knots we needed to reach Cabo on time. I believe the entire fleet ran into light winds by the evening of the first day, which can be handled by the lighter displacement sailboats, but not by those of us with heavy displacement Scott Karlin's Newport Beach-based Irwin 43 'Windswept' is not a party to this boats. But during the controversy, but is an example of a Ha-Ha 6 a.m. position report, boat that was surprisingly fast under a we noted that our mihuge asymmetrical chute. raculous sistership was just ahead of us, outside of Cabo, having "sailed all the way." I think you need to institute a special prize for sailors who either defy the laws of physics, or have a helping hand from the Almighty with special winds that are denied the rest of the fleet. I plan to notify the factory that they need to find out how they manufactured the sailboat that was produced

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Latitude 38

â&#x20AC;˘ January, 2008

two molds after mine to make it so fast in light winds, so as to retrofit my boat with whatever they did. Please Withhold My Name To Protect The Innocent P.W.M.N.T.P.T.I. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; We're not being flip when we say we've got some good news for you â&#x20AC;&#x201D; your boat is much faster than you realize. How do we know? Because she has a PHRF rating of about 120, which means if you're only getting three knots out of her in 10 knots of wind, you're missing out on at least half of her potential speed. And make no mistake that the difference in speed between sisterships can be dramatic. For example, if you watch the J/120 class at the St. Francis Big Boat Series, you'll see that the distance at the finish between the best-sailed boats and the less-well sailed boats is very large â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and everybody in that class is an experienced racer. There are a lot of seemingly little things that add up to make one sistership much faster than another, particularly with cruising boats. For example, how clean the bottom is, how much weight is being carried, the trim of the sails, the size of the spinnaker, how well the boat is being steered, and the course chosen. In the case of the second and third legs of the Ha-Ha, the way you played the typical north to northwest shift of the winds from morning to afternoon, and then back to the north again at night, made a tremendous difference, not only for the apparent wind angle, which is critical for boat speed, but also for whether you aligned with or crossways to the swell. If you were on the wrong jibe at the wrong time, or even if you were doing rhumb line, you were losing out big time. If you assume that everybody got the same amount of wind from the same direction on those last two legs, check out www. sailflow.com, select the map for the coast of Baja, then click on the Wind Flow Viz map. If you examine the chart over a series of days, you'll see that if you approach Punta Hughes/Bahia Santa Maria from the inside, you're going to be sailing very deep â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and therefore very slowly. But if you were coming in from the outside, you'd be on a steaming reach, and therefore have more apparent wind and much more boat speed. By the way, your boat is a rather high-performance, mediumdisplacement boat, not a heavy-displacement boat. As such, she's at her best â&#x20AC;&#x201D; compared to light-displacement boats â&#x20AC;&#x201D; in 10 to 15 knots of wind and flat water â&#x20AC;&#x201D; such as we usually have in the Ha-Ha. We're very familiar with the boat and skipper that you believe didn't really sail the whole way. He and his boat have done several Ha-Ha's as well as trips to the South Pacific, to the Pacific Northwest and many other places. Not only is he a fine sailor, but he's got a very large and vibrantly colored asymmetrical chute that he trims well and sails on the curl for maximum speed. We were right next to him with Profligate in the early stages of both the second and third legs and found his boat to be very fast, particularly in the light and steady stuff. When he said that he sailed the entire way, there was no doubt in our mind that he did just that. Our suggestion is that the next time you cross paths with the person you suspect of foul play, that you compliment him on his performance, and ask him for tips on how to sail your sistership faster. We bet he'd be happy to take you for a sail to show you what a big assymetrical can do for performance, and the difference it makes in speed when it's trimmed perfectly. As we said, you've got a terrific boat capable of surperb performance, and you'll be thrilled once you learn to extract it. For those who didn't do this year's Ha-Ha, there were 10 members of the 150-boat Ha-Ha 14 that sailed the entire distance, earning the title of Soul Sailors. We'd like to acknowledge

HAPPY New Year!

LETTERS them here. Please note how many of them had 'ordinary' boats as opposed to speedsters. Phil MacFarlane of the San Mateobased Ericson 35 MK II Sail A Vie; Albert Miller of the Sacramento-based Hunter 36 Delight; Steve Lannen of the Beneteau First 405 Full Quiver; Dan Swett of the Bonita-based Hunter 41 Deliverance; Richard Bernard of the Oceanside-based Valiant 42 Surf Ride; Peter Bruckman of the Kamloops, B.C.-based Beneteau 46 Quickstar; Garland Bell/Jim Taylor of the San Rafael-based Beneteau 47.7 Sooner Magic; Patsy Verhoeven of the Portland-based Gulfstar 50 Talion; Wayne Zittel of the Alameda-based J/120 J/World; and Duncan Hicks of the Incline Village-based Corsair 31 trimaran Flying Fox. Lyman Potts of the Portland-based Royal Passport 43 San Cles would have sailed the entire way, too, had he not heeded a call to tow a boat just a very short distance from the finish of the third leg at Cabo Falso.

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Latitude 38

• January, 2008

⇑⇓WE APPRECIATE YOUR PROFESSIONALISM I wanted to take a few minutes to compliment you on your response to the December letter from Jim and Dianne Currah of the British Columbia-based Ladysmith. In the letter, titled "I Didn't Know We Could Reserve A Slip There," they expressed their displeasure in the service they received from a representative of the San Diego Harbor Police Department when inquiring about slips at the police dock. As the Sergeant of the Harbor Police Professional Standards Unit, the unit responsible for investigating Citizen Complaints, I found Latitude's response refreshing. You thoroughly and appropriately explained to the Currah's our procedures for accepting complaints, while at the same time educating your readers in these procedures. Although we don't have any means of contacting the Currahs to follow up on their concerns, I can assure you that we will look into this matter. The Harbor Police take this type of complaint very seriously, and take great measures to ensure that citizen encounters, such as the one described by the Currah's, are an anomaly. We are aware of the significance of our role within the boating community, and take pride in maintaining excellent relationships with those we serve and protect. We continually look for opportunities to enhance our professional performance, and we appreciate your contribution in this instance. Thank you again for taking the time to educate your readers as to our complaint procedures. I truly appreciate your professionalism and your service to the San Diego boating community. Keep up the good work. Sergeant John Reilly Professional Standards Unit San Diego Harbor Police Department Sergeant Reilly — We're happy to help out — and pleased with your response. We've had two previous occasions to contact waterfront law enforcement agencies in Southern California with complaints on behalf of our readers. Once was many years ago with the San Diego Harbor Police, the other time was about five years ago with the Orange County Sheriff's Department. On both occasions, the respective heads of the departments looked into the matters, concluded that their officers could have handled the situations better, and instituted changes. We were very impressed. And rather than becoming angry with us for raising the issues, both departments became friends with us. In fact, after that, officers from the San Diego Harbor Police would stop by our Ha-Ha Kick-Off and Costume Party. They were a big hit, and we hope some officers will visit the party next fall.

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Latitude 38

• Page 47

LETTERS

Sailing to Mexico, the South Pacific, Hawaii - or Around the World?

⇑⇓"LOOK OUT FOR THE WAVE BEHIND YOU!" The most important and overlooked part of the dinghy disaster scenarios is that you have to look behind you as you go to shore. During our four years of cruising, there were innumerable times when I watched people go to shore from the anchorage and had to scream — "Look out for the wave behind you!" They couldn't hear, of course, so it was pretty entertaining at times. John Bavin Monakewago, Passage 34 Vancouver, B.C.

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Latitude 38

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John — It's our understanding that one of the first things that Hawaiians — who spend much of their time near the water — teach their children is "never turn your back on the ocean." And for good reason. Folks taking dinghies in through the surf should, as you say, keep this in mind. By the way, while in Banderas Bay last month, we bumped into Jim Hosie, the owner of the dinghy featured in the tremendous dinghy flip at Turtle Bay during the Lucky 13th Ha-Ha. Although Hosie had only started sailing a short time before Jim Hosie not only flipped his dinghy upon that event, and took landing in Turtle Bay in '06, but has also one of the worst dinflipped over the cruising lifestyle. ghy dumps we've ever seen, it hasn't deterred him. He cruised his beautifully maintained Folsom-based Catalina 42 Renaissance as far south as Zihua last year, and is about to continue on to Panama this season. ⇑⇓I'VE BEEN HOOKED SINCE I SAW THE VIDEOS In answer to the question that was posed in 'Lectronic, yes, I find Francis Joyon's attempt to break the singlehanded around the world record with his 97-ft trimaran IDEC to be both compelling and riveting. From the moment I saw videos of the huge, red, three-bladed craft scything through the waves, I've been hooked. And since my French is awful, I've been relying on 'Lectronic for updates. So thanks, and keep them coming! Darryl Tillman No Boat Yet Aberdeen, Scotland Darryl — If Joyon continues to the finish at the pace he's been going — which is about 30% faster than Ellen MacArthur's record with her trimaran B&Q Castorama — we think it will very possibly be the greatest singlehanded sailing achievement ever. If we lived in Aberdeen, there's no way we wouldn't make our way over to France to see Joyon finish. ⇑⇓AND HE'S LEAVING NO CARBON FOOTPRINT I don't know about anybody else, but I find Francis Joyon's attempt at the singlehanded circumnavigation record with his

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Page 50 •

Latitude 38

• January, 2008

LATITUDE / LADONNA

Sail

⇑⇓WHAT A GREAT NOVEMBER ISSUE COVER! The kids on the bow of that boat are stoked! I've had some experience teaching kids sailing, and I know the look. For example, just after the TransPac one year, the Andrews 56 Stealth Chicken was parked at Hanalei Bay, Kauai, with her delivery crew soaking up the view before setting off on the long sail back to the mainland. I had a class of juniors in 14-footers going for it around a course we'd laid out through the anchorage. Two of the kids on one boat just missed T -boning the Chicken when their dink got hit by a puff and they lost rudder The grandparents of the boy on the left control for a few secwere so enamored with this shot, they're onds. I was watching blowing it up to poster-size for posterity. from the beach — this was their first solo trip around the course — and still remember the looks on their faces after they'd missed the Chicken and made it around the course successfully. It was the look on the kids' faces on the November cover. By the way, your spin on "small craft advisories" went into my boating safety files. I've read and written on the subject, but your take is the best I've seen. Pat Durkin Waioli, Tartan 34C North Island, Hawaii

Pat — You gotta love the kids! By the way, the photo was

January, 2008 •

Latitude 38

• Page 51

LETTERS taken by Latitude's LaDonna Bubak, and we think it's terrific, too. ⇑⇓SHOW US THE MONEY Thank you for the outstanding report on the Cosco Busan hitting the Bay Bridge and the resultant oil spill. It was a breath of fresh air after the trash the mainstream media has been putting out ever since. Your article was inclusive, wellresearched, and without a hidden agenda. I wish you could give journalism lessons to our local newspapers and TV news reporters. The first I heard of the incident was from television, and they said they didn't know when or how the pilot got off, where he went, and that he'd been "laying low for 20+ hours." There was a correction a few hours later, but where was the apology to him and his family? If the media, elected politicians, and bureaucrats would have spent as much time on finding a solution as they did searching for blame and someone to sue, I'm sure the problem wouldn't have ended up as bad as it did. And they're still at it. I don't think it has anything to do with saving birds, but is all about bucks and litigation! Stuart G. Sall Red Rover, Hans Christian 34 Tiburon

COURTESY ANTIPODISTE

Stuart — Thanks for the compliments. We're glad you liked our coverage, but we certainly wouldn't be as critical of the other media reports. After all, many of them had to write about the event right after it happened and, having been there, we know how hard it can be to get the straight story.

Page 52 •

Latitude 38

• January, 2008

⇑⇓BUILD A PARASOL FOR THE PLANET? Once upon a time I sailed to the South Pacific on my Farr 30 Antipodiste. While underway, my fresh water consumption was on the order of a few gallons per day. My electricity consumption was way under 500 watts, augmented by a few candles and a pint or so of stove alcohol. I was a happy guy. The joke, though, was that the half-life of a 'cruising relationship' was 1,000 sea miles or a month in port. This bit of humor, as with most good bits of humor, was based on observation. Another observation was that American girls washed out fast, and few circumnavigated. The only recidivist circumnavigating family I met was from South Africa. Charles Warren happily cruised his Life in a small boat, someFarr 30 'Antipodiste' with a very small thing like the Old West, carbon footprint back in the day. seems to be "great for men and dogs, but hell on horses and women." So what does this have to do with anything? The relevant question is probably something like, what sort of political system would you need to take away the energy-driven comforts Americans love? The next question would be, what sort of world economic order would you need to deny those comforts to those who presently lack them? The market solution is to rely on prices, but there is no clear connection between the cost of energy production and the costs of climate change. Those costs are poorly understood anyway. The political debate is muddled in shades of authoritarianism between energy taxation — vive Pigot! — and a new post-Mao Cultural Revolution. Al Gore, Prince Charles, and

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at the

like-minded wealthy visionaries can buy indulgences — at least for awhile. Perhaps we need to celebrate Sputnik's 50th anniversary with a new commitment to space exploration and exploitation. First, if we're only going to do experimentation with our atmosphere, the only breathable one in our solar system, maybe we need to provide a bolt-hole for at least a few if it goes wrong. Second, once out of the earth's gravity, building large structures may take time, but not a lot of materials or energy. In a century, we could probably build a respectably sized parasol for our planet. Maybe it could also generate power. Maybe we could find a way to use that to reduce our dependence on carbon-based fuels, of which we have no more than a few centuries' supply of anyway. Charles Warren San Francisco

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Charles — There may be "no clear connection between the cost of energy production and the costs of climate change," but market forces — i.e. higher prices — could certainly "take away the energy-driven comforts Americans love." For example, if the price of fuel at the pump ever reached that of bottled water at 7-Eleven, Americans would be doing a hell of a lot less driving — or would at least drive cars that got a lot better gas mileage. As we Americans are already sending $1 billion a day to Arab countries for oil, it behooves us to reduce our consumption — and build lots of nuke plants — now rather than later. As for American girls, we see a growth in the extremes. Unfortunately — for them — there seem to be more Paris Hilton wannabee princesses than ever. Fortunately, there seem to be a lot more adventuresses, too. Speaking as a guy, there are few qualities we find more attractive in a woman than an adventuresome spirit.

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Latitude 38

• January, 2008

COURTESY BLUEBIRD

West Coast sailors have long known of Downwind Marine's extensive experience and great value.

⇑⇓BLUEBIRD, TAKE ME ON YOUR WING We're pleased to announce the launching, on American Lake, of our 28-ft sailing trimaran Bluebird. She has 16'6" of beam with her amas extended, and 9'3" with them retracted. She draws 12 inches, weighs approximately 1,820 pounds, has a sail area of 330 sq. feet, and is powered by an 8 hp Honda outboard. She travels to weather at 55 mph on a 40-ft She's new, she's blue, and she's headed to King trailer, and Mexico. will soon be voyaging at speed to Banderas Bay, Mexico. She was designed by Jack Taylor and built by Synergy Systems Co. in Lakewood, Washington in '06 and '07. Jack and Muriel Taylor Bluebird, 28-ft tri Lakewood, Washington ⇑⇓DO THE RIGHT THING FOR YOUR CHILD I'm writing in response to the December letter from Michael Walsiewski, who is seeking to gain approval from the court system to raise a child on a boat. Having gone through the same process myself as a father and single parent, I can provide Michael with some advice.

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Latitude 38

• January, 2008

As a single father you already have points against you, for we are still in the dark ages when it comes to an equal "shared" custody for fathers, and worse, "reasonable" visitation. A father is profiled as the working parent who has less time to be with his children. Although I see the beginnings of change, the courts lean toward the traditional motherly role. And I agree with the courts — in the early stages of a child’s development. However, from ages six through 18, especially for a boy raised by his father — as in my case — a boy needs the male bonding more than the nurturing from his mother. A boy will have it one way or another, for a male child will seek out alpha males as leaders through sports, gangs or the military. I was more fortunate than many as, for reasons that were apparent to the court at the time, I was granted primary custody during my son’s developmental years. I was able to take my eight-year-old son with me to Mexico to spend a year sailing the Sea of Cortez on my 28-ft boat. I was his teacher and home-schooled him along the way. We sent emails to the third grade class that he left behind. He was a hero to his classmates when he returned the next year. Being with my son 24/7 was an incredible experience, something that is beyond a court's understanding. They do not — and cannot — possibly know what it's like to sail with your son. With my case it was argued as being dangerous. Living in Los Angeles is dangerous! But I was allowed to leave with my son as long as there was communication with his mother on a regular basis. I completely agreed with this requirement, although it was a daunting task to say the least. It was a miracle that I was able to convince the court to allow me to do this, for they were unaware of the countless positive experiences it gives a child of eight. Being able to identify the stars and have them guide us, being able to meet kids on boats from different backgrounds, and having his father as a teacher, mentor and friend was the most incredible experience that he and I have ever shared. I don’t expect Michael to be another Sterling Hayden and run off with his child, nor do I give him much of a chance of talking his ex-wife into letting his son sail to another country with him, but I do offer this as motivation to do more than the ordinary. Don't let what I have seen in the past happen to you. If all you are doing is living on a boat and not taking it out with your child, you are missing out on the best moments the two of you can share. Here in Southern California, we have the Channel Islands. In San Francisco Bay you have the Delta, Angel Island or just pulling up to the docks of restaurants. If your boat is a sailboat, introduce your child to racing. Do something with your boat that involves both of you, or you might as well live in the corner of a small, dark, cold and cramped garage — for that's what it will seem like to a child who wants and needs an adventure with his parent. If your boat isn't seaworthy, join an active yacht club, one that sponsors youth programs. Or just purchase two Sabots and teach him the basic sailing skills. There isn't a sailor alive who doesn't remember his first times and how great they were. I remember taking Zach out on our sailboat and catching a fish while sailing to Catalina. I'm not a fisherman, but tried to have a similar father/son experience with my son as my dad had with me. We caught a huge fish — I think it was a yellowtail — and, not knowing what to do next, I left it flopping around in the cockpit of our boat. Zach was four, and asked the normal questions. "When is he going to die? Will we eat him? Is he an old fish?" Zach and I decided to take the hook out and throw the fish back into the sea. After we did, he looked up at me and said, "I feel better about letting him go. Is that

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Latitude 38

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okay?" I hugged him and told him, "Yeah." In any situation, both you and your child can learn new things together. My advice is not to think about what the courts ask of you at this point. Do the steps to convince them that this will benefit your relationship and the development for your child. Persevere. Go outside the approved boundaries, for the right motivations can do more than the ones you are given. In the end, if you do the right thing for the child, they will see that and grant you the visitation you need to provide the lifestyle you'd like your child to have. Zach is now 18 and attending UC Berkeley on a scholarship. He's not on drugs, with a gang, or living at home trying to decide what to do with his life. I know the year we spent sailing together — and all the activities we did together in between — made a lasting positive impression and influenced him toward the direction he is now sailing on his own. Jim Barden Ann Marie Still In The Sea of Cortez

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Latitude 38

• January, 2008

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⇑⇓MUCH TO LEARN OUTSIDE THESE HALLOWED HALLS Thanks for turning a positive spotlight on the kids that were part of the recent Baja Ha-Ha. Emily Applewhite of Bainbridge Island, crew on Volcano and one of our students at Woodward Middle School, was a par ticipant, and came back with changed ideas and attitudes about what's important in life and her world. There is lots of learning to be taken advantage of outside our hallowed halls. My husband Brian and I are avid sailors, and have done a circumnavigation aboard Shibui, our Norseman 447. Mary Alice, seen here in the South Pacific, You can imagine my knows all about the educational benefits excitement at seeof cruising. ing our student and classmate in the pages of Latitude 38. Never mind that Woodward Middle School has been in national publications. Being mentioned in Latitude was far more exciting. Life is about balance! Mary Alice O'Neill Principal, Woodward Middle School Shibui, Norseman 447 Bainbridge Island, WA

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Latitude 38

• January, 2008

Mary Alice — Thanks for the very kind words and the observation. And don't think that we don't remember meeting you and Brian — what was it, 12 years ago? — somewhere in Tonga or Fiji. In fact, check out the accompanying photo of you and Brian that we managed to pull out of the archives. ⇑⇓IMAGINE USCG SATISFACTION SURVEYS What an enjoyable experience it is to be boarded by the Mexican Navy! They are always very courteous, concerned about not leaving footprints on our boats, and love to practice their minimal English. Best of all, they give mariners a satisfaction survey to complete before they push off and say adios. Imagine if the U.S. Coast Guard handed out satisfaction surveys at the end of their safety inspections. Jerry Jordan Manu Wai, Cape George 38 Seattle / Mazatlan Jerry — We think it would be a great idea — both for the public and the U.S. Coast Guard — if they did pass out satisfaction surveys. As we've mentioned before, Mexico really seems to be getting into the customer satisfaction business. Just before we flew out of Puerto Vallarta in early December, a clean-cut, friendly young Mexican man who was fluent in English asked if we'd let him conduct a survey about the airport. He was so nice that we couldn't refuse. It was a detailed survey, and he took care to record our responses accurately. As such, it comes as no surprise that the Puerto Vallarta Airport — which has greatly expanded recently to handle the huge upswing in business — is terrific. The lines were all short and quick, the airport staff were friendly and professional, and the whole facility — including the restrooms — sparkled. ⇑⇓I'M TERRIFIED TO GO TO UNFAMILIAR MARINAS I'm writing in hopes of finding the answer to whether or not there is a law that requires a marina/boatyard or a mariner who damages someone's boat to, at a minimum, supply the name of their insurance carrier. I've never needed to utilize my own insurance, but it seems to me that the law, regarding property damage, would be similar to car insurance. As motorists, we are required by law to provide insurance information in the event of an accident, as well as file an accident report with the DMV. Here's where I'm going with this: Last summer a boatyard in the East Bay relocated the 1947 L yle Hess-designed classic Lady Elizabeth, which a friend of mine had recently purchased, to the shallow end of their fuel dock. The Lady E was negligently grounded, which caused the keel to be torn off — something that supposedly went unnoticed by all the marina personnel. My friend tells me that the keel is still sitting there, in just six feet of water, posing a serious hazard, all because the dockmaster refuses to cooperate with my friend in resolving the matter. I honestly don't know what he could be thinking — other than if he waits long enough, the whole nightmare will just disappear. The boatyard has refused all communication with my friend, including her numerous registered letters. As a result, she feels that she has no other recourse than to contact the marina's insurance company directly. The problem is, they won't tell her the name of the insurance company. Surely, there must exist some legal agency to prevent such ridiculous and dangerous matters from going without resolution. Her boat could sink without the keel attached — and she could be on it. Does it take a death in order to get someone's

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LETTERS attention to something like this? In all my years of boating, this is a horror story unlike I could ever imagine, and has left me, along with all of my 'solo' female boating friends, terrified of going near unfamiliar marinas — especially in the Bay Area — ever again. I have a much smaller boat than Lady Elizabeth, and fortunately, my Harry P. is resting safe in my backyard — and will remain there until I completely familiarize myself with boating insurance law. Mary C. Furch Harry P., West Wight Potter 15 San Diego Mary — If there's a collision between boats in which there is damage of more than something like $500, both parties are required to file a report with Cal Boating. But since even the smallest boat nick is likely to cause $500 in damages, you can imagine how seldom mariners comply with that law. But more to your question, we're not sure you have to provide the other party in a boat accident with insurance information, as boats, unlike cars, aren't required to have insurance. When there's a dispute such as your friend apparently has with the boatyard, and the boatyard doesn't respond, the normal course of action would be to consult a lawyer. If the lawyer thought your friend had a good cause for action, he/she would write the boatyard demanding some sort of remedy. If the boatyard didn't agree or respond within a reasonable amount of time, the lawyer — if he/she felt it was worth his/her time — would file a lawsuit on her behalf. If the damages weren't so great, the matter could be taken to Small Claims Court. Having said this, it's rarely in anybody's interest to go to court, as only the lawyers and government employees usually win. In addition, the potential problem we see with your friend's case is that a boat's keel shouldn't fall off just because it hits bottom — unless the boatyard staff hit the bottom with her at about 25 knots. As such, a court might find that the condition of your friend's boat was the cause for the keel to fall off, in which case she might have to pay the cost of removing the keel from the boatyard, back berth fees, the boatyard's legal fees — and still have a disabled boat. In any event, we can't imagine why this would make you and your friends "terrified of going near unfamiliar marinas." If we may be frank, you and your friends should be more terrified of 60-year-old wooden boats, as they require a lot of time and money to maintain.

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Latitude 38

• January, 2008

⇑⇓THE PRESIDIO YC COULD BE AN ASSET TO THE PARK I read the letter from Jeffrey Keeton regarding Horseshoe Cove with great interest and a little sadness. In '74, while on active duty in the Army, I was assigned to duty at Fort Baker. Within a month I owned a Columbia 26 Mk1, and was a member of the Presidio YC. Even though I had just completed a four-year assignment in Hawaii, where I sailed a Cal 20, which wasn't bad duty, I felt I'd died and gone to heaven after arriving at Ft. Baker and San Francisco Bay. I subsequently kept my Hawkfarm Courageous and One-Tonner Rolling Stone at the Presidio YC. A common misconception, which Latitude expressed, is that the Presidio YC and the Travis Marina at Ft. Baker are "Treasury-draining boondoggles." The truth is that they've always paid their way via member's dues and, in fact, provided a considerable positive cash flow to support the Morale activities of the Army and Air Force. The docks and so on were built and paid for by members. In addition, a typical monthly workday would find 30-40 members building fingers, pound-

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Latitude 38

• January, 2008

LETTERS ing nails and picking up trash on the beach. The one great advantage, of course, was that the Army owned the land and buildings. The Presidio YC is a 300+ member club that actively participates in all boating activities in the Bay, including sponsoring YRA races, PICYA activities, the normal interyacht club cruises and so on. The membership is less now, but the activities are the same. The only difference between members of Presidio YC and other clubs is that, in addition to a common sailing bond, we also have the common bond of military service. By the time the Army decided to leave the Bay Area, I was long retired and cruising aboard Rolling Stone with my wife, Dolores, and we ultimately ended up in Scotland. I recognize that all the sailing, racing and cruising I was able to do over the past 40 years was a result of the military-supported boating activities at Ft. Monmouth, New Jersey, Hickham AFB, Hawaii, and the Presidio YC at Ft. Baker. I don't think anyone thinks of military service as much of a "boondoggle" these days. I agree with Jeffrey that Horseshoe Cove is a poor location for a recreational boating facility for Travis personnel because it's such a long drive. And I'm afraid that the nail in the coffin was driven long ago when the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and its advisory panel decided not to house a "military yacht club" in Horseshoe Cove. I feel sad about that, as many, many people put a lot of sweat into it and continue to do so. The Presidio YC could be an asset to the park. As for me, we moved on to the Point San Pablo YC in Point Richmond, which is a great and fun club that owns its land. We sold Rolling Stone in Scotland, and she now resides in Germany. I still read Latitude every month, even though our latest boat, Dolores E, is a converted salmon troller. I periodically help Hans from Scanmar sell Monitor Windvanes at various boatshows and bum rides on friend's sailboats. Robby Robinson Sergeant Major, U.S. Army (ret.) Mill Valley Robby — We agree with you, it makes a lot of sense for the Travis sailing program to be located some place closer to Travis Air Force Base. However, that doesn't mean it makes any sense for the military to give up a facility that their other members could use. And with a Bay dying for berths close to the Central Bay, what's the sense in encouraging the elimination of 70 berths? It's true that the best time to make sure the Horseshoe Cove marina and Presidio YC wouldn't be lost was years ago during negotiations with the National Park folks. But as an irregular veteran of the Telegraph Avenue Army while a student at Berkeley in the '60s, the one thing we learned is that it's not over until it's over. And even then, it's still not over. The war for Peoples' Park, for instance, has been going on for what? 40 years? And it still — for better or worse — hasn't been lost. ⇑⇓WE CAN'T WAIT TO SAY "WE TOLD YOU SO" I would not agree with Jeff Keeton's portrayal of Horseshoe Cove as being as "gloomy as a foggy and windy February afternoon in the Cove," since any day in the Cove is better than a sunny day across the Bay. It isn’t that the marina wasn’t a good fit for the military, it's that the military once again fell victim to local politics. The Park Service snatched the marina out from under the Air Force, forcing the Air Force into a rental agreement. Then along comes a wolf in sheep’s clothing, big business under the guise of a convention center, and bye-bye

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LETTERS military, which has controlled the area since 1866. I take exception to your portrayal that the Travis Marina is nothing more than a military boondoggle, draining the U.S. Treasury, since it is so obvious that you have no idea about the history of the Bay Area. The Army purchased the Fort Baker area in 1866 because the United States was very concerned with protecting the strategically important Golden Gate strait from potential enemies. The intention at the time was to build a brick fortification just like the one at Fort Point, but by the time the foundation was completed, technology had bypassed a fort, and the military instead developed the area as batteries in the 1870s to 1890s. By controlling land on each side of the strait, the Army possessed unique advantages in defending San Francisco Bay. World War II brought antisubmarine minefields and nets, as well as antiaircraft guns being added to the batteries. Fort Baker became the depot for the underwater minefields. The wharf that is deteriorating in front of the Presidio YC was built as a submarine mine wharf to accommodate the large mine-planter ships. In 1943, the marine repair shop was built to repair all boats, and had three boat launchways, one of which still survives in front of the Presidio YC. In order to protect the boatyard, the Army built the existing breakwater. During the 1950s and 1960s, Horseshoe Cove was the home of the 561st Port Construction Engineer Company, which was the Army’s version of the Sea Bees, and constructed and/or repaired ports. They also conducted rescues, aided in civil emergencies, inspected piers, welded deteriorating ship hulls from underwater, and cleared ship wrecks. In 1972, legislation created the Golden Gate National Recreation Area that included Fort Baker within it. Since the defense program was reduced in size, the Army felt no need to maintain their presence in San Francisco and gave over their Bay Area property to the National Park Service in 2002. So much for your boondoggle theory. The Air Force was given the use of the marine repair shop in 1959 as an MWR facility for all branches of the military, and allowed the Presidio YC to set up their club within the confines of the marina. Civilian contractors have run the marina from the beginning. As for being "Treasury-draining," the marina is a self-sustaining entity. It has been the leading income-producing program of the Travis Air Force Base Outdoor Recreation and Services for the past two years, making more income than all Travis services combined. In other words, the Travis Marina and the Travis Sailing Academy have been the sustaining forces behind keeping the Travis Outdoor Recreation and Services in the black for as long as I can remember. We are not layabouts on the military dole. I agree that the cove is a rare and unique site. Under current plans, it will no longer be a marina, as mooring balls do not a marina make. Seventy, plus or minus, boats — both power and sail — will be displaced by the plans of the "folks or organizations with greater vision and resources." So, no sir, we don’t agree with you and your staff who are so obviously on the side of the National Park Service allowing big business onto a historical site and an MWR facility the minute they were ceded the property. Is it any wonder that those of us at the marina, who have dedicated so much of ourselves, our time, and our resources to further the recreation of those fighting in foreign lands, are so against the convention center, and look at Louie with jaded eyes? Is it any wonder that the military keeps withdrawing from the Bay Area, with the political maneuvering and anti-military stance we see everyday, which shows so clearly not only in your attitude, but in the attitude of our own Page 66 •

Latitude 38

• January, 2008

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Latitude 38

â&#x20AC;˘ January, 2008

harbormaster? This rare and unique marina site is available to folks and organizations right now. However, the convention centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s "greater vision and resources" have already changed our environment for the worse. How much worse is yet to be seen. I will take great delight in saying I told you so when you pay to enter Fort Baker through locked gates that do not currently exist. The Travis Sailing Academy will be sitting elsewhere and we will have smug smiles on our faces. Phyllis Burns Keeton, Sailing Master Travis Sailing Academy Travis Marina, Horseshoe Cove Fort Baker Phyllis â&#x20AC;&#x201D; We'll grant you that you know your local military real estate history much better than do we, but your arguments make no sense, and you completely misunderstand our point of view. If Travis Marina and the Presidio YC are not a boondoggle, and if, as Jack Machun, President of the Presidio YC Governing Council, claims in the next letter, they are both self-sustaining, why do you want to let them slip away? If you and Jeffrey Keeton â&#x20AC;&#x201D; who we presume is a close relation, if not your husband â&#x20AC;&#x201D; want to press for the Travis sailing school to be moved elsewhere, that's fine. But we don't understand your desire to eliminate the possibility of other military personnel â&#x20AC;&#x201D; or some other entity â&#x20AC;&#x201D; restoring and using it? Where did you get the idea that we're in favor of a convention center at Horseshoe Cove? We hate the idea, as for more than 30 years Horseshoe Cove has been our secret shoreside hideaway when we've needed to chill out. Plus, the last thing Southern Marin needs is more people, cars and buildings at the expense of open space. Our fervent desire is that the Travis Marina and Presidio YC be fixed up â&#x20AC;&#x201D; as Machun claims can be done â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and be used by the military. But if that can't be done, or if you military people don't have the fight in you to try to make it happen, then we'd like to see some other entity take over the facilities and update them. Our only goal is that a marina facility yacht club not be lost. You and your husband's goal â&#x20AC;&#x201D; which makes no sense to us if you love sailing and support recreation for the military â&#x20AC;&#x201D; seems to be to make sure such a cool and unique facility is lost. It makes us wonder if you're not double agents for the evil forces of the convention center crowd. â&#x2021;&#x2018;â&#x2021;&#x201C;ANOTHER VIEW OF THE PRESIDIO YC SITUATION Latitude is correct, Jeffrey Keeton's portrayal of the Travis Marina at Horseshoe Cove was "as gloomy as a foggy and windy February afternoon in the Cove." Fortunately, the real picture is not nearly as grim as Keeton painted it. The boat rentals and sail training have provided a significant amount of recreational activity to members of the Armed Forces and their families. During 2007, over 550 active duty personnel, their dependents and community members, went sailing in Travis Marina boats, and countless went sailing in private boats. In addition, military and nonmilitary members and guests participated in social functions such as Workday Dinner, Opening Day, Independence Day Picnic and the Fleet Week Picnic. Travis Marina also regularly hosted weddings, birthday parties, and musical events that were well attended by locals and out-of-towners alike. As far as the docks being in disrepair, there is some truth to that claim. However, a large capital expenditure hasn't been made recently because of the short-term nature of the lease extensions that have been granted to the Air Force by the National Park Service. The three-year lease extension negotiated in '06 does not lend itself to large investments.

January, 2008 •

Latitude 38

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Latitude 38

• January, 2008

Once the National Park Service and the Air Force agree to a long-term lease, it's certain that the general infrastructure will be greatly improved. The Air Force document describing the relationship between the Travis Marina and the Presidio YC states, "The Presidio YC is an integral part of the Travis Marina." The Travis Marina/Presidio YC get full support from officials at Travis Air Force Base. The Base Commander has met with Brian O'Neil, Golden Gate National Recreation Area General Superintendent, initiating discussion for a longer-term agreement with the Park Service. The Wing Commander at Travis truly feels that Travis Marina is a significant recreational asset. You were wrong in being curious about "what kind of Treasury-draining boondoggle created" the Travis Marina/PYC. The marina is a NAF (Non-Appropriated Fund) facility. Not one cent of taxpayer money is spent on it. It is entirely selfsupporting from revenue generated by club dues, slip rental fees and facility rentals. According to Air Force policy, if the marina does not continue to be self-sustaining it will be shut down. In fact, the marina generated excess revenue that assisted other Morale, Welfare and Recreational activities such as the base day care center that provides day care at less than cost. You were wrong again when you said "the marina ought to be made available to folks or organizations with greater vision and resources." I cannot think of a greater vision than providing recreation for the men and women of the Armed Forces, who daily make sacrifices in the defense of our nation Jack Machun President, Presidio YC Governing Council San Rafael Jack — We thank you for your two corrections. Given Keeton's gloomy assessment, we somehow assumed that the facility was a big money loser. If it's not, why are they so intent on it being lost? ⇑⇓OTHER COMPLICATIONS Thank you for printing my September letter about the problems that I was having getting to use my Vallejo-based Marquesas 56 catamaran Amani. I got several generous offers of help, and Latitude's reply and advice were most helpful to me — and others, I'm sure. I've already taken some of your recommended steps. I have most enjoyed tacking against the current going out to Point Pinole with no crew. My cat tracks as well as my Volvo. I have also beat into 20-knot winds — not such a good idea with a cruising cat. I also ran aground near San Rafael with the tide going out. But the worst was when I rammed the dock hard enough to bend the seagull striker, the A-frame structure on the forward beam that maintains the structural integrity of the bow and keeps the hulls from being pulled together. The one thing I haven't practiced is sailing into the marina, something that I wouldn't want to try with a crosswind. There were several things about your suggestions that really stood out. First, making a commitment to weekend sailing. This would mean gathering several crew who would always be there. That would be an opportunity for me to expand my social network on the waterfront. I knew this all along, as I had frequently been advised to do similar things such as join a sailing club and take a navigation class. But I had an excuse. I was so wiped out by my work at Napa State Hospital that I just wanted to kick back on the weekends. Yes, I 'retired', but kept working. My next job required me to stay in hotels

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Latitude 38

• Page 71

LETTERS

S Kare ee John Seat n & Will , tle a at th nd e Boat Vancou ver Show s

during the week and drive long distances through traffic — when all I wanted was to be home on Amani. Every night I used to walk down to the dock thinking how nice it would be to go sailing right then — but whoops, there was nobody to do it with. And with such a big cat, I needed a second set of eyes, as well as somebody who knew the meaning of 'head up' and how to secure a line to a cleat. It had me thinking that I could have just jumped into that little racing boat in the next berth and gone sailing myself in the perfect weather. Shoulda, woulda, coulda. The idea of trading down to a smaller cat and starting over would have given me the do-it-yourself thing again. It would also have given me some much needed money. I dreamed about spending the night on the hook at China Camp, a place recommended by Harriet and Tibor on Baja, the huge cat next to mine in Vallejo. Unfortunately, I have other complications besides money and work. I have problems — and not just figuratively — with my brain and my heart. I take pills to prevent seizures, but they give me an unsteady gait that gives me a tendency to trip and hurt myself. And that's on solid ground, not a boat that's moving. In addition, I had very serious heart surgery in '92, which has left me with an arrhythmia and low blood pressure. I needed to be shocked a few months ago to get me out of it. I don't want to die at sea, nor do I want a full-time paramedic and/or babysitter following me around. What's the solution? If I wanted to stay on the water, it might be a Grand Banks 42 Europa, which I could enjoy on the Bay and up the Delta. There's just one problem — it would require using fuel for propulsion as opposed to the wind. So I guess it would be best if I just had a small, easy-to-singlehand sailboat at Vallejo, where I like living. What irony! I just retired for real. No more professional work for me. But I'm lonely, miss all the human contact that I used to have, and need to keep myself busy. Now I could really devote time to going out sailing all the time and making waterfront social connections. I will do this anyway on another path, but without fulfilling my big dream of sailing far away. So Amani is for sale. I moved to a friend's house in order to clean her up and cherry her out. My big girl sure does have sexy lines. Anyway, I'm getting over the loss gradually, and am holding on to the vision of my next vessel. Doug Smith Amani, Marquesas 56 Vallejo Doug — Big catamarans are fabulous boats, but given your health issues, we'd have to agree that such a boat isn't right for you. What a shame. By the way, sailing a big cat like Amani into a harbor, particularly one like where you keep your boat in Vallejo, would be insanity. There are some things you can do with a Moore 24 that you can't do with a 28-ft-wide cat. But when it comes to beating in 20 knots on San Pablo Bay, it's not only a great idea, it's some of the most fun that you can have with a cat. You grind the smallest jib tight, lower the main traveller all the way to leeward, sheet in the main so it's as flat as a piece of plywood — and go like a bat out of hell! Anyway, good luck on selling your cat and finding a new boat of your dreams. ⇑⇓WELCOME TO THE CRUISING LIFESTYLE Hola from a sunny cruising destination! Here we sit in the shade of a palm, toes buried in the sand,

Page 72 •

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• January, 2008

EARN WHAT IT TAKES...

to make a major cruise under sail during our 23rd offshore sail training voyage. Our 2008 schedule offers you a choice of shorter excursions in prime cruising areas, exotic landfalls and classic ocean passages. Our emphasis is on helping you build skills in an environment of fun and great sailing. Many who sail with us are planning voyages of their own—there is no better way to prepare. Underway, we provide in-depth experience in vessel management, safety, provisioning, electrical and plumbing systems, celestial navigating, anchoring, sail handling, weather routing, and heavy weather. Along with eight other crewmembers, you’ll sail in all conditions, standing watches and steering as Alaska Eagle sails 180 to 240 miles a day. Delicious meals are prepared by the ship’s cook. Everyone has a comfortable berth, and double cabins are available for couples and single women. Alaska Eagle is owned by one of the nation’s premier non-profit sailing schools. Designed by Sparkman & Stephens and strongly built of aluminum by the Royal Huisman Shipyard, Alaska Eagle (ex Whitbread winner Flyer) has logged more than 350,000 offshore miles. She has a comfortable four stateroom interior and all the latest electronics and cruising gear. She is Coast Guard certified for All Oceans.

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Since Rich and Sheri first sailed aboard Alaska Eagle from England to California in 1982, they have been aboard as skipper and mate for the majority of her voyages. Combined, they have sailed more than 550,000 miles, including three Atlantic crossings, more than 30 crossings between Hawaii and the West Coast, 13 equator crossings, and many miles through the South Pacific between Tahiti and Australia. In between, Rich and Sheri have built three boats, virtually by themselves. In their first boat, a Farr 44, they circumnavigated South America. Their next boat was a 54 foot aluminum sloop in which they voyaged to Antarctica. Their third boat, the Farr 44 Tabu has just been launched and is ready for adventure. Licenses held: USCG Master Upon Oceans • STCW International Yacht Master (RYA/DOT) • US Sailing Instructor: Keelboat, Cruising, Coastal Navigation

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2009 Newport to Cabo Race Mar 9 - Mar 15, 2009 Alaska Eagle will be the communications boat for this downwind race. This is a great trip for those thinking about taking their own boat to Mexico.

Hawaii – San Francisco Baja Bash - Cabo to Newport Jul 15 – Aug 1, 2008 Mar 18 - Mar 26, 2009 Conditions range from upwind sailing and An ideal trip for those wishing to test their squalls to exquisite reaching conditions. Sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge brings a coastal skills in a variety of weather conditions. picture perfect ending to this trip. To learn more: www.occsailing.com To request a color catalog or specific info: 949-645-9412 Or write: Alaska Eagle Voyages, 1801 W. Coast Hwy, Newport Beach, CA 92663 January, 2008 •

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• Page 73

LETTERS watching the sweet sun melt below a crimson horizon whilst sipping on iced tea or coconut water laced with rum. Sounds idyllic, doesn't it? It is. We are here and you are there. We wish you were here, too, but not all at once! The 'we' I speak of are marine professionals, some ex-Navy, some with certain attributes that far outqualify our chosen trades and lifestyles, but all with a tale to tell and many sea miles under the belt. We offer our experience and skills to folks who just might need it. Sometimes we do it for a handshake and a nod, sometimes for a bottle of wine or a meal, but sometimes for the great Greenback, too. After all, we've all made our investments in time and experience to have gotten this far. Most often you'll find us in far away places where there is no one else to help you keep your dream afloat. But we've been there, and having spent a lifetime afloat all over the world, know what breaks down, how to fix it, and have had the foresight to bring along all those little bits and pieces that will keep us — and maybe you — going. I'm speaking of the stuff that keeps the diesel engine running, the nav lights burning, the beer cold, and the ice cubes tinkling. But we're a dying breed and, as the immediate cruising grounds of the West Coast become more commercialized and the basic cost of living continues to rise, we're forced to move further off the beaten path. So for those of you who make it past the Ha-Ha, look out for us lifetimers! We'll probably have more wrinkles for our given age, but we might have some interesting stories to tell, too. Our boats won't be quite as shiny, but they'll be clean on and below deck, and just as seaworthy, if not more so, than your boats. We ain't gonna tell you where it's at, figuring that you can work it out for yourselves. Anyway, welcome to the cruising lifestyle. We bet you'll wish you made the break sooner. Miguel Miguel Somewhere South Of The Border

Winter 2008

info@seawear.com www.seawear.com Page 74 •

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• January, 2008

COURTESY ADÈLE

⇑⇓WHO DESIGNED ADÈLE? In the October 5 'Lectronic Latitude, you reported that a West Coast family purchased the 180-ft Adèle through KKMI in Richmond. Who designed that ketch — Bob Perry? P.S. We sure love Latitude. What a service to West Coast sailors! Ted Johnson Liveaboard on a Bob Perry-designed Islander Freeport 36 Seattle Ted — Thanks for the kind words. Adèle was designed by Hoek Naval Architects in the Netherlands, which was started by Andre Hoek in 1986. In the last 21 years they have been responsible for a tremendous body of superb work, much of it being large classiclooking yachts with moder n underbodies using high-tech techniques and Hoek designs have a distinctive style, and to our materials. The thinking are very attractive. average sailor is most likely to be familiar with the Hoek line of Truly Classic — and truly expensive — yachts. If you enjoy looking at beautiful yacht design, we suggest you visit www.hoekdesign.com.

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Adèle was built at Vitters, which is also in the Netherlands. Designed by Hoek and built by Vitters is about as fine a pedigree as a yacht can have. ⇑⇓HOW CAN WE REACH DOUG PETERSON? Can you or anybody else tell us how to get in contact with naval architect Doug Peterson? He custom designed my Peterson 35 back in '73, and over 40 of the boats were eventually built. Pacific Yachting Magazine would like to do a story on the history of the design, and we'd like to get some comments from Peterson. Vernon W. Ruskin Jolly Olly IV, Peterson 35 Royal Vancouver YC Vernon — For those who weren't sailing in the '70s and '80s, Doug Peterson came out of nowhere — and San Diego — to rapidly displace Sparkman & Stephens as the premiere designer of non-ultralight racing boats. As we understand it, Peterson did it the old-fashioned way — his grandmother gave him the money necessary to design, build and ship a boat to the One Ton Worlds in Europe. The success of his boat at that and subsequent regattas quickly propelled him to worldwide prominence. However, Peterson has never been the gregarious type and didn't give a lick for publicity, so it comes as no surprise to us that he's hard to find. He's done a lot of America's Cup design work in recent years, mostly for Prada. His interest in boats is as keen as ever. It's our understanding that he owns an 8-Meter, a 9-Meter and a 12-Meter, all in Europe, and is partner in a Caulkins 50 in San Diego. Of these, the 8-meter is the most interesting. Originally known as Lillian II, she was built by Fife in 1907 and was later renamed Synnove III. After purchasing her in Newport Beach, Peterson disappeared and the historic yacht sank at her mooring. He immediately had her shipped to the renowned Argentario yard in Italy for storage and restoration. ⇑⇓THERE IS A BETTER WAY There is a better way to use a Mac computer to navigate than, as you reported in the September issue, using something like Nobeltec while running Windows on a new Intel-based Mac computer. GPSNavX is a small company that has been making excellent native Mac navigation software for a few years. I've been using it for five or six years, and have been very happy with it. I don't work for them, but I do like to support small outfits. Readers can check out their website at www.gpsnavx. com. John Swain Planet Earth John — We apologize for being more than a little behind the times with that funky recommendation. In fact, we've gotten a number of letters from Mac users such as yourself who have reported very high satisfaction with GPSNavX. They report that, not only does it do everything that Nobeltec does, but it costs a fraction of the price. Speaking of Mac, it boggles our mind that, thanks to the recent dramatic run up in the price of Apple stock, that company now has a significantly greater market capitalization — $170 billion versus $150 billion — than IBM. ⇑⇓CHARTS FOR GPSNAVX ARE AVAILABLE Jim Innes offers server space for Mac users to store and share their digital charts at www.globalfusion.com/Charts/in-

Page 76 •

Latitude 38

• January, 2008

January, 2008 •

Latitude 38

• Page 77

LETTERS

Sailing Away? ay Call Tod r te for Win Pricing

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Latitude 38

• January, 2008

Readers — We'd like to find out, too. Anyone?

⇑⇓PROOF THAT AN INFLATABLE BOARD WORKS WELL As a first-time participant in the Baja Ha-Ha, I want to say a big 'thank you' for such a well-run event. My crew and I were among the 72 who got stranded on the beach at Bahia Santa Maria because of the high surf and darkness, and I want to thank Doña de Mallorca, Chief of Ha-Ha Secu"It's me, Greg! I'm really catching a wave on my rity, for helping inflatable surfboard." to arrange for sleeping cots for our crew. I'm also the guy who was surfing the inflatable surfboard at the point at Bahia Santa Maria, and I think the Grand Poobah might have gotten a photo of me riding a wave. My friends are doubtful that the waves were Greg not only caught it, he got a long and fast ride that good and at Bahia Santa Maria. that my inflatable board worked that well. So is there any chance that you could publish a photo of me riding my board? Greg Boyer, Crew Fidelitas, Tayana 460

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dex.html. He has charts for all over the world and adds more all the time. I was able to get some charts for Western Mexico to use with GPSNavX, but they don't have as much detail as I'd like. Since the charts are not specific to Mac or PC, I assume they are just not available. This seems unbelievable since there is so much nautical traffic in Western Mexico. M aybe some of your readers have had more success at getting digital charts for Western Mexico that are compatible with GPSNavX. Richard and Tudy Taylor Elysia, Cheoy Lee Offshore 40 & La Brisa, Mason 43 Durango, CO

Greg — How about two photos, one of you dropping in that shows your inflatable board, and another of you moving on down the line? The Poobah can confirm that you not only got a ride, but that you got one of the better rides of the day. ⇑⇓NEVER GO ALOFT WITHOUT A SAFETY LINE In the December 12 'Lectronic there was the following item about Commodore Eugenie Russell of the Punta Mita Yacht & Surf Club: "Commodore Eugenie had reason to smile while signing membership cards for the Punta Mita Yacht and Surf Club. She'd been at the top of a 100-ft mast on a main halyard the day before because the splice failed on the halyard."

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• Page 79

LETTERS

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Latitude 38

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I hope that this means that she went up to replace a halyard with a failed splice, because if it meant that it broke after she went up, and she's smiling because she survived it, then maybe it needs some amplification. The tallest mast I've ever been up was the one on the 82-ft M boat Sirius II, so I can relate to some of the risks — and rushes — of going up tall masts. But if there's a lesson to be learned, please pass it along. Fin Beven Radiant, Cal 40 San Pedro

Fin — We apologize for the confusion, as there was an error between our reporter in Mexico When not nearly falling from the top of 100-ft masts, and the editors in Mill Valley. What Commodore Eugenie puts happened is that Eugenie went to her dagger through the the top of the mast of the Morrelli & hearts of men and women Melvin 70 cat Humu Humu to do a all along the Vallarta coast. little work. Once it was done, she came down safely. However, when the boat was taken out for a sail the next day, only the top batten of the main had been raised when the same halyard she'd gone up on the day before failed! Why it hadn't failed the day before with her at the top of the mast is unclear. There are two lessons. The first is to never go aloft without a safety line — a rule Eugenie vows to adhere to for the rest of her life. The second is to be very careful when splicing lines, particularly newer ones with older ones. ⇑⇓THERE AIN'T NO SUCH ANIMAL I'm in the market for a catamaran that's about 33 feet long in the $50-60,000 range. Can you tell me if there is a consensus of opinion in the catamaran community as to whether some brands are better than others? I realize that each have different characteristics, and that I'd always opt for diesel over gas, and inboard over outboards. There seem to be a lot of Geminis out there and a smattering of others, but most of them are out of my financial league. Any suggestions? Curt Christensen Planet Earth Curt — We think you're discovering one of the major drawbacks of cruising catamarans — that even the used ones are quite expensive relative to monohulls. To be honest, we doubt that you could find a 33-ft cat with running diesel inboards in that price range. And even among those that are outboardpowered, there just aren't going to be many to chose from. In fact, the only semi-modern one that comes to mind would be a Crowther 33, such as Chewabacca, the one the Winship family cruised from Alameda to Colombia. ⇑⇓WE SMELLED A TREMENDOUSLY FOUL ODOR We decided to start our cruise down the coast of Baja from Ensenada on November 19, the same day and place the Baja 1000-car/motorcycle race started for La Paz. Rather than making a straight shot to Mag Bay and then Cabo, we decided that we'd gunkhole our way down. The news for our sailing friends is that the anchorages along the coast of Baja are, almost without exception, very poor for getting a good night's sleep.

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Page 82 •

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• January, 2008

We did have fog some of the time. For instance, we were going to stop at Isla San Martin, but bypassed it when we couldn't see more than 150 feet ahead. We ended up at Bahia San Quintin, which is well protected from the northwest swell, but is shallow and has many shoals. We reluctantly anchored in 13 feet of water — but that was only the beginning of the excitement. As we were settling in for dinner, I heard a whale blowing — and then smelled a tremendously foul odor. It was a 35-ft gray whale. He or she circled our boat for a bit, then came in straight to our port beam, and gently began to rub its nose on the keel and side of our boat! This went on for about 20 minutes. Then it began to rub our rudder. When I felt our boat rise up, I'd had enough. We s t a r t e d the motor and revved it in neutral a few times. This kept the "The whale rubbed our hull for 20 minutes . . . " whale away for a few seconds, but then it returned. By then it was almost dark, so I grabbed the flashlight and shined it in the whale's right eye. He didn't like this, so off he went to circle us a few more times before vanishing in the bay. I learned that you can be awestruck and still be scared to the point of shitting yourself. We barely slept the rest of the night because every time we heard a little noise we thought you-know-who had returned. Other noteworthy stuff: — We stopped at San Carlos Bay, which turned out to be a surfing mecca, of a sort. In fact, we felt as though we were treated to a surfing exhibition. Later, a boat from Santa Cruz anchored next to us, and we watched a crewmember from Santa Cruz climb to the spreaders and dive into the water. — After an exhausting 95-mile overnight leg to Cedros, during which time we had stronger wind and bigger seas than we would have liked, we pulled into Cedros around 9 a.m., having gotten very little sleep. We were welcomed by three boys flying kites on the breakwater, but after waving hello, went below to nap before taking a more active parental role. " . . . but when he started raising us by the The thing is that rudder, that was too much." Phoebe can sleep through anything, so she was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and awaiting our attention. But she was nice and quiet while we napped. — The Cedros anchorage is often ignored, apparently because it's only 30 miles away from Turtle Bay. But others told us that the port captain at Cedros Village is a very engaging personality who has been known to take visitors around on personally guided tours. He apparently wishes that more

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Latitude 38

• Page 83

LETTERS

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cruisers would stop to enjoy the village's hospitality. — After leaving Cedros the following morning at 9 a.m., we quickly got clear of the island's influence and, with 18 knots of wind and following seas, made Turtle Bay in six hours. It was the best sailing of our trip to date. Jeffrey, Patti and Phoebe Critchfield Paxil, Beneteau Oceanis 423 Brickyard Cove, Point Richmond Jeffrey, Patti & Phoebe — Yours are some of the best whalerubbing-a-sailboat shots that we've ever seen. Congratulations! But what's this about Baja anchorages not having good anchorages for sleeping? As coastlines go, it's got lots of anchorages, and good ones, too. ⇑⇓FIVE EASY STEPS We recently visited Puerto Vallarta, then went over to La Cruz de Huanacaxtle to visit the new Nayarit Riviera Marina. It's going to be beautiful! But on our way through the airport, we picked up one of the glossy tourist magazines that describes all the 'adventures' you can book in that tourist area. One of their suggestions was to go sailing. According to the publication, it's easy — as long as you follow their "5 Basic Steps To Sail:" "1) Locate the broad reach. "2) Displace the rudder until you get the sails in direction of the wind. "3) Keep a course. "4) When you get to a point where it will be necessary to tack (to turn around to change the course), displace the rudder at the time the backstays are loosened up. "5) Tense the backstays to guide the sail according to the new position which is sought in front of the wind." According to the publication, that's all there is to it — unless something was lost in the translation. David and Jill Wolfe Escapade, Catalina 400 Mk II Marina Village, Alameda

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Latitude 38

• January, 2008

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David & Jill — That publication does English about as well as we do Spanish, so we're not going to be too critical. However, one of the many free glossy publications around Vallarta is Vallarta Nautica, which was started 10 years ago by cruisers Lew and Anneke Jennings, with all proceeds donated to local charities. They subsequently sold it, and it's now become "a world class, full-color magazine, covering everything in, on and under the waters of Banderas Bay." We've seen it, and it's not Everything you need to know about sailing, only very well done, surfing, kayaking and diving on Banderas it's accurate, and has Bay is in this free magazine. a Resource Guide with 680 listings in 97 categories. New publisher John Youden re-

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ports that a substantial amount of the proceeds will still go to charity. While the glossy guides are free in Vallarta, they can also be downloaded at www.vallartanautica.com for $10. As for the Nayarit Riviera Marina, we've stayed there a few nights and agree that it's going to be a much-needed addition to Banderas Bay, one that g i v e s m a r iners yet another choice. Vallarta Marina is terrific for those who want to be s u r ro u n d e d by restaurants and in the middle The addition of 400 slips at the new Nayarit Riviera of what's beMarina in La Cruz marks the dawning of a new nauticoming a very cal era on the north shore of Banderas Bay. crowded and busy city. Paradise Marina is for those who want an excellent facility with all the extras of a fine resort, and one that's away from the traffic but still not too far from town. The Nayarit Riviera Marina will be perfect for those who want to berth their boat in what's still an authentic and quiet little Mexican town, but one that's only 20 minutes from the airport and 30 minutes from the booming downtown. ⇑⇓I'M A FANATIC BUT ONLY CARRY TWO GUNS ABOARD I particularly liked two articles in the October issue of Latitude. The one on HF radio was very informative, and you can't say too many good things about Don Anderson, who provides all the free weather reports to cruisers in Mexico. It's actually Dr. Anderson, as he has a PhD in chemistry. I've been to Don's home and checked out his 90-pound Harris HF radio and his 75-ft directional antenna, the design of which he borrowed from the CIA. Very impressive. The article on spear fishing was also good, but I'd like to add a few comments without trying to sound too officious. The author gets points for not using scuba gear to spear fish, and almost all the info in the article was accurate. But he wrote that he uses four spear guns and was considering the purchase of yet another. I'm a spear fishing fanatic, but I don't believe you need five spear guns. I only carry two, although I do carry a lot of spare parts. I'd also like to point out that it's not a good idea to shoot at a fish that's in front of a rock. A good underwater hunter, like a good police officer, will always be aware of his/her background and avoid shots that will damage his/her equipment. The tip of a spear shaft needs to be needle sharp, and killing 'rock fish' will quickly dull the point. When shooting fish in caves, I'd recommend a pole spear as a better choice. They are very simple, yet they work well on small fish. The author also stated that he doesn't use a reel on his guns as he doesn't shoot large fish. But here's the problem I see with that approach: a nice 30-pound yellowtail swims right in front of his gun. It would be almost impossible not to take that shot, but without a reel or a trailing-line, the fish — and perhaps the hunter's gun — would be lost. A trailing line is simply a floating line, 50 to 75 feet long, that's attached to the gun, and, like a reel, allows the diver to swim to the surface for a breath of air while fighting the fish. Regarding the selection of spear guns, pneumatic guns are high-maintenance and they lose power at depth. But if

January, 2008 •

Latitude 38

• Page 87

LETTERS you always hunt in shallow water, the loss of power wouldn't be that significant. A bent shaft will render such a gun inoperable. The Riffe spear gun is outstanding, but it's also very expensive. The JBL is a very good workhorse, but stay away from the early guns, circa 1970, as they tend to pre-fire — meaning they go off without pulling the trigger. That's not a good thing. A few more tips I'd like to share: Never aggressively pursue a fish, as you'll almost always lose it. Avoid making eye contact with a fish, as it's a strong indication to the fish that it's potential prey. Just before making a dive, remove the snorkel from your mouth. If you don't, air bubbles will slowly flow from the snorkel during the beginning of the dive, and they will scare the fish away. Steve Albert of Far Fetched did a fine job on the article, but I hope I was able to add a little to the subject. By the way, I'm a graying member of the Long Beach Neptunes, the oldest active spear fishing club in the United States. Thomas Blandford M/V Imagine Me and You San Carlos, Mexico ⇑⇓LONGER WOULD BE BETTER We'd like to thank the Grand Poobah and the Ha-Ha staff for helping us have such a great experience on the last Baja Ha-Ha. Despite all of the warnings about the possibility of injury and death — which was one of the reasons we almost didn't go on the Ha-Ha — in the waivers we had to sign, the Poobah and his staff really did support, assist, and truly look out for the safety and enjoyment of every participant. This was our first lengthy passage and, while we experienced no problems, we would have felt safe and supported if we had encountered any mechanical, electrical, or medical issues. In addition, we truly enjoyed sharing our experiences with other mariners at each of the stops, and felt that having one planned event at each stop was just perfect. The only improvement we can think of would be an extra day at Turtle Bay and an extra day at Bahia Santa Maria. However, we realize that you really try to keep the event to less than two weeks. Anyway, we really appreciated the Ha-Ha staff's hard work as well as the local expertise for each destination. We're certainly going to recommend the Ha-Ha to all of our friends who will be heading south in the future. There was some talk of a site being set up where everyone could post the photos they took — particularly of other boats under sail. For example, we know that the vessel Ticket got some of our boat while we were flying our blue and gold chute, and we'd love to get digital copies. Has there been anything done with that? Anyway, thanks again for giving us all the opportunity to experience what some of us believe will be the preface to our adventure of a lifetime. Jan and Rob Anderson Triple Stars, Island Packet 380 Sausalito Jan and Rob — Thanks for the very kind words, but what makes the Ha-Ha work is all the great participants. We've just created a simple-to-use Ha-Ha '07 photo-sharing site at http://picasaweb.google.com/Baja.HaHa.07. Participants can view, download and upload photos to share with others. ⇑⇓DISPELLING THE "SWARM OF LOCUSTS" RUMORS Living in the Pacific Northwest, we didn't have ready access Page 88 •

Latitude 38

• January, 2008

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Latitude 38

• Page 89

LETTERS to Latitude 38 and all the great articles from people cruising all over the world. We had, however, heard stories of the "notorious" Baja Ha-Ha, including tales of exuberant Ha-Ha participants ruining anchorages along the Baja peninsula. One person described the Ha-Ha as being like a swarm of locusts coming through and devastating the landscape. As such, when we planned our cruise from Vancouver to Mexico, we planned to arrive at Ha-Ha stops well before or after the Ha-Ha fleet had come through. As it turned out, we needed to get some parts that weren't available in Ensenada, and contacted Tin Soldier, a boat we knew from the Blue Water Cruising Association, and one that was going to be in the Ha-Ha, to see if they would be able to help us get the items. We arranged to meet up with Tin Soldier when the Ha-Ha fleet was in Turtle Bay. In fact, we were anchored at Isla San Benitos when many members of the Ha-Ha fleet went sailing by. The local fishermen even came out to our boat to ask why so many boats were sailing past. We explained that there was going to be a big sailors' fiesta in Turtle Bay. Anyway, we left San Benitos the next evening for a short overnight to Turtle Bay. Thanks to 25-knot winds for most of the night, our planned eight-hour trip turned out to be much shorter. Not wanting to enter an unknown harbor at night, we hove-to outside Turtle Bay. But the sight inside the bay was amazing, as it was lit up like a city, thanks to 150 masthead lights glowing brighter than the stars! We entered the bay at first light and sort of kicked ourselves, because the entrance is easy, even at night. After dropping the hook and having breakfast, we went in search of Tin Soldier. It wasn't hard to find them, as they were one of the few boats flying the Maple Leaf flag. After collecting the parts they had kindly picked up for us, we joined them on the beach for tacos, beer and Ha-Ha frivolities. We had a great time meeting the participants in this "notorious" event, some of them new cruisers, some of them very experienced, but everyone enjoying themselves in this new cruising environment. It was a fun afternoon in the sun and sand, with fellow cruisers swapping tales during the potluck and beach game activities. There was none of the outrageous, out-ofcontrol, drunken debauchery that we had been led to believe happened at the Ha-Ha. We also listened in on the morning roll calls, and were very impressed with the organization of so many vessels, the Grand Poobah's control of the daily details and gossip, and the obvious camaraderie the participants were sharing. It made us wish that we'd joined the fleet in San Diego. We hung around Turtle Bay for several days after the Ha-Ha fleet had left on a spinnaker run south, and can report that it wasn't as though the town had been overrun by a plague of locusts. The tiendas still had lots of fresh tortillas, produce, and even beer. A few days later we carried on into Bahia Magdalena, bypassing the Ha-Ha stop at Bahia Santa Maria for no real reason other than the winds were right for us. It was only later that we heard about 72 Ha-Ha participants being stuck on the beach overnight thanks to a combination of high surf and darkness. A week or two later, we arrived in Cabo San Lucas, having enjoyed a leisurely trip down the outside of Baja, exploring the coastline. Cabo is such a busy tourist town, it would have been hard for the Ha-Ha to have had much impact. From what we could tell, the 150 boats and 601 people in the Ha-Ha were a positive experience for the local communities on the Baja peninsula — as were the 50-or-so-boat-strong Page 90 •

Latitude 38

• January, 2008

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Latitude 38

• Page 91

LETTERS FUBAR powerboat fleet that came through a week or so later. Neither of these events presented a problem for cruisers on individual boats, such as ourselves, along the coast of Baja. The only downside that we see to the Ha-Ha is that the participants don't have the time to thoroughly enjoy the rest of the other beautiful anchorages that Baja has to offer — anchorages that we enjoyed immensely. I'm not sure how rumors get started, but we're out to dispel the "swarm of locusts" one about the Ha-Ha — and are even considering heading north next fall to join the Ha-Ha fleet of '08. So please keep up the great work and good times. Geoff Goodall, Linda Erdman and Jessie the sailing dog Curare, Bowman 36 Vancouver, B.C., Canada

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Geoff, Linda & Jessie — On behalf of the Ha-Ha, thank you for the very kind words. We've been extremely proud of the way the Ha-Ha participants have conducted themselves over the years. We're glad you saw fit to join everyone on the beach, as everyone is always welcome at the Ha-Ha social events. By the way, we couldn't agree with you more that it would be great if the Ha-Ha could be a month or so long in order for folks to enjoy more of what Baja has to offer. Unfortunately, something like that just wouldn't be practical for most folks, and to our thinking, after two weeks it's time for folks to go off on their own or at least in much smaller groups.

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⇑⇓BRAVO TO YOUR RESPONSE TO WHINERS I'm writing this letter in response to those whiners who criticize the Ha-Ha but have never done one. They have no idea what they are talking about. My wife and I did the '06 Ha-Ha aboard the Morgan OutIsland 41 Bronco. One of our crewmembers suffered a broken rib and multiple fractured ribs — and got excellent medical treatment at the clinic in Turtle Bay. A radiologist on another boat reread the X-rays for us so we would know exactly what her condition was. Another doctor gave us extra medication to ease the crewmember's pain. On top of that, other medical professionals in the fleet regularly inquired as to how our injured crewmember was doing. I applaud Latitude's response to those whiners. Maybe they'll change their tune if they find themselves in need of help and some Ha-Ha veterans come along. Bob Bauer Lady Ann, O'Day 27 Alameda

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Bob — Thanks for the kind words. We probably got more positive reaction to our response to the 'Whiners' letter than any other in the last five years. If folks do a Ha-Ha and don't like it, that's fair enough. And while we certainly don't lose any sleep over it, we think it's lame for people who haven't even done a Ha-Ha to criticize it.

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Latitude 38

• January, 2008

⇑⇓WAVE PERIODS AND DANGEROUS CONDITIONS The loss of the crab boat Good Guys on December 4 brings up the subject of wave period and dangerous conditions for small boats. Although we hashed out this subject in the May and June issues of Latitude, I still feel an important point has to be understood about dangerous long period swells. I totally agree with you that such swells are no problem as long as you are sailing in deep water. But a long period swell of 15 seconds or greater becomes a danger in shoaling bottoms like the ones surrounding the entrances to San Francisco, Tomales Bay, and surrounding the entrance and approaches

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Latitude 38

• January, 2008

to Half Moon Bay. These distant swells come from far away storms and, when they approach our coast on a windless day, can appear to be relatively harmless. But these 'sneaker waves' have claimed many lives along our coast and just a short distance out to sea. These long-period swells are most common in the fall and winter months, and into early spring. It's very easy to get suckered into thinking that conditions are calm, and therefore cut over a shoal area or enter a harbor or bay that has a shoaling entrance, and get caught by a large, breaking sneaker wave. Before I go out the Gate during the winter and early spring, I always check the offshore buoy data for the dominant wave period. It takes less than a minute, and gives other important data as well. Nobody is going to argue with you that sailing into a shortperiod wave system of the same height as a long-period swell is going to be very uncomfortable. But the long-period swell, of the same height, has far more energy and is much more deadly as it passes over a shoaling area. I'm only speculating, but I think this is what claimed the Good Guys, and it took them all at once and fast. The swell period that day was 17 seconds. Tony Badger Kingfish Tony — We're glad you brought this subject up, because it's indeed the time of year for mariners to be particularly vigilant for sneaker waves. That said, a lot of people — and even safety authorities — don't seem to have a clue what a real sneaker wave is, confusing it with what surfers commonly refer to as the "wave of the day." Waves of the day might be considerably larger than the other waves, and they may be part of the set of the day, but in no way are they sneaker waves. Sneaker waves — at least what we consider to be sneaker waves — are large waves that inexplicably come out of nowhere on days when the surface of the ocean is very flat before and after the wave has hit. So flat that there's almost no discernible wave period. That's why they call them 'sneaker waves' rather than 'bigger than normal waves'. We can remember a fishing boat being nailed by a sneaker wave near Baja's offshore Roca Ben, an Olson 30 being pitchpoled in otherwise flat conditions off Marina del Rey, and boats being creamed at places like the entrance to Tomales Bay, Half Moon Bay and elsewhere. In all cases, the waves came out of nowhere on otherwise flat days. According to the literature, sneaker waves are caused when a number of smaller waves become focused, meaning the individual wave peaks coincide to create a new wave that is the sum of those superimposed. We think this is a bunch of baloney, because there have been big sneaker waves when the ocean has otherwise been as flat as a mirror and where there were no smaller waves to coincide. Nor would this explain the fact that true sneaker waves only seem to occur between November and the end of February. And why don't waves coincide at other times of year? And please, let's not refer to what surfers call ordinary 'f--ckin' doubles' as sneaker waves — because they aren't. Some authorities believe that most true sneaker waves occur along the coasts of Oregon, Washington, California and Baja. Others say it's a universal phenomenon. What should Latitude readers take away from all this? Exactly what Badger suggests — stay in much deeper water than during the summer, and don't cross the bars outside the Gate. But if you must cross a bar or area of shallow water, do

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it as quickly as possible. It's true that more than a few people have been killed. Have you ever seen or been hit by a true sneaker wave? If so, email us at richard@latitude38.com. ⇑⇓I'VE BEEN LUCKY WITH MY BOAT PARTNERSHIPS I read Thomas Hill's inquiry about boat partnerships, and wanted to report on my experience. I've been involved in three boat partnerships — a homebuilt boat in Italy, and a Pearson 22 and C&C 29 in the Bay Area. All were done with cash and a handshake. All have worked out very well, especially since I turned out to be the most frequent user of all the boats, which allowed me to enjoy lots of great sailing on Lake Como and off Alameda and Santa Cruz. Maybe I was just lucky, but I don't think you have to get that legal if you have a good feeling about the people you are joining. Michael Faulk Aptos Michael — Maybe it's more than just luck. Maybe you and your partners are responsible, easy to get along with, and able to see things from other partners' points of view. ⇑⇓KICK SOME LAKE SAILORS' BUTT It sure seems to me that Larry Ellison and the BMW Oracle America's Cup team has been taking a lot of flak for what no other team seemed to have the huevos to do — and that is stand up to the Swiss rapscallion Ernesto Bertarelli of Alinghi. What he was doing really was B.S., and it did my heart good to see that things didn't go well for them for once. But I also find it appalling that folks aren't giving Ellison and BMW Oracle a standing ovation. Good on ya', BMW Oracle — and kick those lake sailors' butts! Gary Watson Abreojos, Ericson 27 Olympia, WA

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Gary — You make a good point. Personally speaking, we'd have been more enthusiastic about BMW Oracle's court victory had we not been suffering from an extreme case of America's Cup Legal Proceedings Fatigue. Furthermore, we're finding it increasingly difficult to get excited over a sailing event where it takes $150 million to be competitive, where the event's prestige is based primarly on the fact that so many rich guys are willing to spend so much money, and where there appears Unlike many of the sailors in the America's Cup, Joyon has made to be so little regard for the his reputation on the water, not in environment. As we've said the courtroom. elsewhere, we think what Francis Joyon is doing is far more admirable in all respects.

⇑⇓WING NUTS AND OTHER STUFF I'm prompted to make several comments concerning the great December issue. First, on page 48 of Letters, the photo of the Santana 22 mast being worked on from the balcony of a house reminds me of the '70s when I was working at Sailboats, Inc., the larger

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Latitude 38

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After 25 years as the nation’s leading marine outfitter and safety expert, Landfall Navigation is now simply Landfall. We’re shortening our name. Expanding our product lines. Issuing more catalogs. Redesigning our website. But one thing endures: our commitment to safety. So whether you need to outfit a dinghy or a maxi yacht, think safety first – think Landfall.

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Latitude 38

• January, 2008

JACK MACKINNON

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boat dealership in the East Bay. On many occasions we did mast work on our boats from the balcony at Quinn's Lighthouse in Oakland. The advantage of that location was that beer was right at hand as soon as our work was completed! Second, in John Riise's very fine Diesel Diagnosis article, he discusses some reasons why a diesel may not turn over. One of my current pet peeves is the use of wing nuts on battery terminals for boats. Indeed, West Marine supplies many of their batteries with wing nuts. However, the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) standard E-10 Storage Battery section reads, "10.8.3 Battery What we don't understand is, if wing cables and other conducnuts don't meet ABYC standards, why tors size 6 AWG (13.3 are batteries sold with them? mm2) and larger shall not be connected to the battery with wing nuts." I have seen wing nuts on many of the boat batteries on vessels I have surveyed this year and, in three cases, the engine would not turn over even though the battery cables appeared to be tight. In each case, tightening with a wrench or pliers completed the connection enough so that the engine then started. So please, replace the wing nuts with hexagonal nuts, then torque them properly with the proper size wrench. Finally, in the letter on page 74 regarding the San Diego Police Dock, I took this photograph from my room at the Kona Kai Inn on the after noon of October 27 during the Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors® (SAMS®) annual inter We presume that raft-ups aren't allowed at the San national meetDiego Police Dock. ing. I was surprised that there was not a bigger raft-up. Jack Mackinnon, AMS®-SMS San Lorenzo ⇑⇓NOT MUCH LEFT OF THE CUTTY SARK If readers follow your advice to drop by the Cutty Sark when in London, they'll be sorely disappointed, for the last of the tea clippers was all but completely destroyed by fire months ago. There are big intentions to rebuild — if the money can be raised. Nonetheless, as you stated, Greenwich is well worth any sailors' time, regardless. As for the evident 200-ft error in the location of the Prime Meridian reported by your readers, the following may explain it: You mentioned that the Royal Naval Observatory was established by King Charles II in 1675 to "figure out a way to accurately determine longitude," but it wasn't until an Act of Parliament in 1714 that England got really serious about accurately determining longitude whilst at sea. It was decreed that 20,000 pounds — a few million of today's anemic dollars — be awarded to whomever built a timepiece that, after being

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• Page 99

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Latitude 38

• January, 2008

WEBB LOGG

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carried from Greenwich to the West Indies and back, could prove accurate to within 30 miles. A piffling couple of hundred feet were probably no big deal back when someone plonked down the line that, by today's nano-technological standards, we expect to be spot on. Just in case some readers don't know the tale about determining longitude, it took an enterprising amateur John Harrison literally a lifetime to build such a timepiece necessary to determine longitude, and he bettered the required accuracy by 20 miles. A naïve 20-year-old with no clock-making experience when he began the work, he was an old man by the time he accomplished the feat on his fifth West Indian trial. All the while, he had been jealously observed by professionals from (appropriately) the Royal Observatory. Harrison's trick was to use perpetually self-lubricating lignum vitae wood that didn't expand or contract detAfter this fire last May, there's not that much left rimentally with of 'Cutty Sark' to see. changes in the temperature and humidity. However, he was literally on his deathbed by the time he was actually awarded his prize. There had been a change of heart in Westminster since their navy had their hands on the holy grail of clocks — the one Capt. Cook had already 'borrowed' for his last two voyages. It was only when Harrison's son William pleaded his father's claim all the way up the governmental ladder to King George III that the prize was awarded. Iain Woolward Krystyna Alicja, Vanguard Finn Redwood City Iain — We knew and reported that the Cutty Sark had burned during restoration on May 21 of last year, but had forgotten that she'd been so badly damaged. Thank you for correcting us. Authorities estimate it would cost $50 million U.S. — about the price of a small apartment in expensive London town — to repair the historic tea clipper. We hope they do. For those who love learning where ships — and whiskies — got their names, 'cutty sark' is, in Scots, a short undergarment. It was also the nickname of the character Nannie in Robert Burn's comic poem Tam o' Shanter. Nannie wore a linen cutty sark that she had been given as a child, so it was much too small for her. But the erotic sight of her dancing in what today would be the equivalent of a thong from Victoria's Secret — caused Tam to cry out, "Weel done, Cutty Sark!" — and it became a popular expression. In a typical month, we receive a tremendous volume of letters. So if yours hasn't appeared, don't give up hope. We welcome all letters that are of interest to sailors. Please include your name, your boat's name, hailing port, and, if possible, a way to contact you for clarifications. By far the best way to send letters is to email them to richard@latitude38.com. You can also mail them to 15 Locust, Mill Valley, CA, 94941, or fax them to (415) 383-5816.

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Latitude 38

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Latitude 38

• January, 2008

Remembering Phil. We have been remiss in taking so long to note the passing of historian and cartoonist Phil Frank, who died of complications from a brain tumor on September 12. He was 64. Although sailing was only a small part of Phil's world, he was an integral part of the sailing community, and a large part of what makes the Bay Area, and particularly Marin, such an enclave of idealism and creativity. Most people will know him best through his daily Chronicle comic strip Farley, where his talent for poking gentle fun at even the most serious of local issues almost always accomplished its goal: to make us laugh at ourselves. Phil was hugely generous with his time, both as Sausalito's unofficial historian (his lecture on the bootleg days of prohibition was one of our favorites, and the house in which he lived above Caledonia street was once a speakeasy), and with his talent as an artist. He did numerous renderings for us to illustrate stories over the years. His style also became synonymous with the fun drawings he did for BayRisk Insurance's monthly advertisements in Latitude. That company was one of many who have paid tribute to Phil in the months since his passing: For the last 10 years, Phil Frank captured the spirit of marine insurance needs. The creator of Farley, a nationally syndicated strip The Elderberries, as well several books, Phil was generous with his time and talent. He had been working with John Hardgrove, owner and creative director of the Design Bunch on the BayRisk ad campaigns since 1997. Phil had a love for the water and boats. He lived and worked aboard a Sausalito houseboat for 13 years before moving ashore. As part of the BayRisk campaign, he would use his comic skills to take disastrous boating situations and make them funny. It not only brought readers a chuckle, but focused attention on serious events that happen at dockside as well as on the water. As a tribute to the great work Phil Frank did for BayRisk, plans have been made to run the classic ads from the past 10 years in 2008. Phil provided us years of smiles and we at BayRisk are grateful to have been able to share his creativity and wonderful sense of humor with you all. Our belated consolences to the friends and family of Phil. We invite readers to learn more about him and his work at www. farleycomicstrip.com. Why sailboats sink. Every year, BoatUS thumbs through their insurance statistics to come up with helpful hints on not becoming one — a statistic, that is. Their latest list, culled from a study of 100 sailboat sinkings is titled Why Sailboats Sink and Five Tips to Prevent It. Without further adieu, the most common causes of sinkings are...

Sinking Underway: — Struck Submerged Object 40% — Prop, Shaft or Strut Problem 16% — Below Waterline Fitting 16% — Grounding 8% — Stuffing Box Leak 8% — Storm/Knockdowns 8%

Sinking at the Dock — Below Waterline Fitting — Stuffing Box Leak — Keel/Centerboard Leak — Rain — Head Back-Siphoning — Above Waterline Fitting

44% 33% 7% 7% 3% 3%

Sailboat keels seem to be the main contributing factor in the 'strike submerged object' category, as collision leaks often oc-

'TREE HUGGERS' … NAPA STYLE Once a year, our entire marina staff goes out and picks olives – one of the perks of being the only boatyard in the state (that we know of) landscaped with mature olive trees.

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Latitude 38

• Page 103

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Latitude 38

• January, 2008

cur around where the keel attaches to the boat. Collisions with submerged objects can also nick a prop, bend a shaft or loosen a strut or rudder, too. Also, sailboat engines get less use (compared to powercraft engines), which invites more corrosion damage. BoatUS's suggestions for staying afloat: • Any time the boat hits anything in the water, immediately inspect the bilge and keelbolts, or centerboard and associated structures, for damage. To be safe, inspect everything again an hour later. • Routinely — twice a season — inspect all below-waterline fittings, hoses and hardware. If the fitting is long enough and it hasn't been done already, it's good practice to have two marinerated stainless steel hose clamps on all hose ends. As well, any hoses showing signs of rot should be replaced immediately. • Underway, stuffing boxes are supposed to leak a little bit — a drop every 10 to 30 seconds. When at rest, stuffing boxes should not leak. If yours does, tighten or replace the packing. • Don't ignore thru-hull fittings or hoses installed above the waterline. While they may appear to be 'safely' above the water level, they can leak when the boat heels over or — in really cold climates — when snow or ice buildup pushes the boat deeper in the water. Hey buddy, wanna buy a nice prop? There are rumors going around that boats stored in dry storage yards are being relieved of props and in some cases winches. One tipster who did not want to be identified says the propeller was stolen off his boat in a north Bay dry storage facility — "And when I looked around, there were bare shafts all over the place." Short of removing the propeller after every sail, there's not a lot boaters can do to to deter a thief with a big wrench. But we do suggest vigilance with companionway locks and even suggest securing your expensive Edson steering wheels with chain/padlocks or bicycle locks, as some of them have apparently been walking off, as well. If anyone knows more details about these thefts, please let us know. The winter of '54. With a whole new breed of large, cutting-edge boats prowling the globe, sailing records are once again falling like bowling pins on league night, and the dawn of yet another new era in sailing is upon us. With an equally shiny new year in our laps, we figured it was worth a quick look back for a little perspective. For beginners, modern sailors aren't the only ones who covet records. In the 19th century, particularly around the time of the clipper ships, speed records were so prestigious that one Captain had his record carved into his tombstone with the addendum 'never beaten'. Then, as now, two of the biggies were the 24-hour ("day's run") mark and top speed. Until about 20 years ago, those records were held by two clippers who set them on runs to Australia in 1854. From noon to noon on December 10-11, the 252-ft Champion of the Seas reeled off 465 miles on her maiden voyage from Liverpool to Melbourne. Earlier in the year, another Donald McKay-designed ship, the 245-ft Sovereign of the Seas hit 22 knots while running her easting down to Australia. Those marks are enviable even today. Although both were broken in the 1980s, and have since been eclipsed by every new generation of high-tech craft, it's worth remembering that Champion and Sovereign's records stood for more than 100 years, and that they were set by fully loaded merchantmen drawing more than 25 feet and sailed by crews of 60 or more. They had no electronic navigation, no weather routers, no ball bearing blocks, no winches and no synthetic lines or sails. They sailed when they had to, not when they wanted to. And only rarely did the weather cooperate to secure them a footnote in history.

En ne try xt Fo pa r m ge !

Welcome to YRA Racing!

Thank you for participating in the YRA! We offer you a choice for racing both on the Bay and on the local ocean! FLEET INFORMATION HDA (Handicapped Divisions Association) x

x x

Bay Racing on longer courses for boats with a current NCPHRF rating. The Vallejo, 2nd Half Opener, and Season Closer Regatta’s are included in the HDA Season Racing fee. Divisions are determined by grouping similarly rated boats. If you are unsure of your division, please write your NCPHRF rating on the “Fleet” line. HDA divisions are invited to race in the Crewed Lightship 1 race for an additional $5.00 per racer. A signed Minimum Equipment List must be included with entry. Entry into the Crewed Lightship 1 race must be made at the time of season entry or individual race fees will apply.

ODCA (One Design Class Association) x x

Short Course, Windward/Leeward style racing for qualified one-design classes. The Vallejo, 2nd Half Opener, and Season Closer Regatta’s are included in the ODCA Season Racing if the individual class has included the races on their race schedules. Current Fleet schedules can be found on http://www.yra.org If you are not sure if your fleet is a current ODCA fleet, or would like to sign your fleet up for ODCA, please contact the YRA office at (415) 771-9500 or info@yra.org.

OYRA (Offshore Yacht Racing Association) x x

Approximately 12 ocean races ranging from 15 to 51 nautical miles in length OYRA racers are invited to race in the Vallejo race for an additional $5.00 per racer. Entry into the Vallejo race must be made at the time of season entry or individual race fees will apply. Racers will race in one of the following 5 divisions, determined by their boats D/L ratio (unless choosing to race in the SHS division): o PHRO 1a – NCPHRF of 0 or less o PHRO 1 - OVER 31.5 Feet, D/W ratio Less than 200 o PHRO 2 - OVER 31.5 Feet, D/W ration 200 & over o MORA – 31.5 Feet & Under o SHS – Shorthanded division, Specifically Requested

WBRA (Wooden Boat Racing Association) x x

The WBRA is a Golden Anchor member in US Sailing and includes US Sailing membership dues in its entry fee Bay racing for one of the following 4 fleets: o Bird Boats o Folkboats o IODs o Knarrs

BACK FOR ANOTHER GREAT YEAR! x

x x x x x

x x

THE YRA PARTY CIRCUIT!

This series highlights the 3 marquee YRA events: The YRA Season Opener (The Great Vallejo Race) in nd May, the YRA 2 Half Opener in July, and the new YRA Season Closer in September. Three fun-filled weekend events with great parties on each Saturday night! Series Champions will be awarded at the YRA Year-End Trophy Party in November 2008. There is one throw out race for the series. In addition, 50% of the fleet or class must qualify for awards to be given. All Bay-Area sailors are invited to sign up! We will have divisions for PHRF racers, One-Design Classes and new for 2008, a Double/Singlehanded Division, and a non-spinnaker division. If your One-Design Fleet is interested in signing up, please contact the YRA office. When entering, simply list your NCPHRF rating on the “Fleet” line, or, enter your One-Design Fleet. Sailing Instructions for each race will be available on the YRA Website: www.yra.org. If you have any additional questions, contact the YRA office at (415) 771-9500 or info@yra.org.

GENERAL INFORMATION YRA Sailing Instructions are available on the YRA website at www.yra.org, or at the YRA office. Sailing instructions are normally posted approximately 2 weeks prior to the race for each charter association. If you do not have access to the internet and need to have your race instructions mailed to you, please contact the YRA office at (415) 771-9500 or info@yra.org A YRA sailing membership and a membership in a YRA member yacht club is required to register a boat for any YRA regatta. Please fill out your entry form completely, sign, date and return it to the YRA office along with your payment. If you need additional assistance completing this form, please contact the YRA office. January, 2008 •

Latitude 38

• Page 105

 Yacht Racing Association of San Francisco Bay New for 2008 - Save time and paper!

Quarters 35 S, Fort Mason San Francisco, CA 94123 Phone: 415.771.9500 Fax: 415.276.2378

sign-up online at www.yra.org

2008 Entry Form

email: info@yra.org

Name:

Boat Name:

Street:

Boat Model:

City,State,Zip:

Manufacturer:

Yr Built:

Designer:

Yr. Designed:

Evening Phone:

Daytime Phone:

Sail Number:

Email Address:

U.S. Sailing #:

Yacht Club Affiliation:

Marina:

YRA Member #: Berth/Slip #:

Membership Fees:

YRA Membership:

$40

NCPHRF Fees:

Renewal of 2007 Certificate:

$30

New Certificate or Renewal of 2006 or prior Certificate:

$40

Required for YRA Racing

Season Racing Fees: (6 Race Days only, Does not Include Vallejo, 2nd Half Opener or Season Closer)

US Sailing Members

$ Please attach NCPHRF renewal form or application Non US Sailing Members

$ $

Fleet See back for more fleet information

$120

$135

HDA Season + Party Circuit (12 race days)

$180

$195

YRA Party Circuit includes Vallejo, 2nd Half Opener and Season Closer only

$120

$135

One Design Class Association (ODCA) Season

$180

$195

Ocean Yacht Racing Association (OYRA) Season *

$195

$210

Wooden Boat Racing Association (WBRA) Season (includes US Sailing Membership) $190

N/A

Handicap Division Assoc (HDA) Season

Fleet See back for more

US Sailing Members

Non US Sailing Members

HDA season racers entering Lightship 1 *

N/A

OYRA season racers entering Vallejo

N/A

Vallejo Race Only (YRA Season Opener)

$75

$80

2nd Half Opener Only

$75

$80

Drake's Bay *

$75

$80

All other YRA Races (write in race name):

$50

$55

Single Race Fees:

1st Deadline

Racing Late Fees:

fleet information

2nd Deadline

Vallejo Race (YRA Season Opener): 1st deadline- 4/21, Final deadline- 4/30

$35

$75

Lightship 1: 1st deadline- 3/10, Final deadline- 3/19

$35

$75

All other YRA Races: Rec'd after 5pm Mon and before 5pm the Wed before race

$35

N/A

No entries accepted after 5pm the Wednesday before the race * All YRA Racers entering an ocean race or ocean series must submit a signed OYRA Minimum Equipment Requirement List. See http://www.yra.org/OYRA/ocean_safety.html or contact the YRA office for more information.

TOTAL____________

In consideration of being admitted to sailing membership in the Yacht Racing Association of San Francisco Bay (YRA), I agree to abide by "The Racing Rules of Sailing" and the Sailing Instructions of the YRA and the regatta sponsors. I warrant that I will maintain compliance with the YRA Minimum Equipment requirements. I agree to release the officers, agents and employees of the YRA, and its member Associations in any activity to which this entry form applies. I further warrant that I have not relied upon any of the above entities or individuals in preparing my yacht for racing.

Signed: _______________________________________________ Date: __________________________ Make check payable to YRA. To pay by MasterCard or Visa please provide card info below, including billing street address and zip code Card Number:______________________________________ Exp Date:__________ CVV #__________ Name on Card:_________________________ Card Holder's Signature:_______________________________________________

Billing Address:_______________________________________________

C.C.

Page 106 •

Check Number ___________

Latitude 38

• January, 2008

Amount PD_____________

DATE Received in office_____________________________



Office use only

TRY IT… YOU'LL LIKE IT! The Bay Area Racing Scene has something for everyone. What boats? Here’s a start: Catalina 30, Flying Dutchman, Pearson Triton, Islander 36, J/105, Optimist, Ranger 33, Olson 25, Beneteau 36.7 – really, the list is endless. If you own a sailboat there’s an event for you.

South Bay Yacht Racing Association 2008 RACING CALENDAR 2007-2008 WINTER SERIES January 5

Winter #3

Oyster Pt. YC

February 2

Winter #4

Coyote Pt. YC

Where? Everywhere: the South Bay, inland, freshwater lakes, the ocean, the central Bay. You shouldn’t have to venture far from your slip to find a starting line.

March 1

Winter #5

Sequoia YC

When? You can pick a couple of fun events or practically race every day of the week, with casual ‘beer can’ racing Monday-Friday, the three-weekend ‘Party Circuit’, special events, and season-long series.

April 12

Summer #1

Sierra Pt. YC

May 3

Summer #2

Oyster Pt. YC

June 7

Summer #3

Bay View BC

July 12

Summer #4

Ballena Bay YC

August 2

Summer #5

San Leandro YC

September 6

Summer #6

Coyote Pt. YC

October 4

Summer #7

Coyote Pt. YC

Who? How about you! You can race singlehanded, doublehanded, with a full crew, women skippers, kids' events, one design or open class. Why? You’ll use your boat more, have more fun, meet new people, improve your skills, and discover things about the Bay, your boat and sailing you never dreamed of. Why not?

BUT HOW? • Pick up one of these: • Pick out the fleet or events you want to sail in

SUMMER SERIES

2008-2009 WINTER SERIES November 1

Winter #1

Oyster Pt. YC

December 6

Winter #2

Sierra Pt. YC

For information call Larry Westland

(510) 459-5566

• Fill out the form on the left

lwestland@tricommercial.com

• Save the dates and go sailing!

http://sbyra.home.comcast.net

NEED CREW? Go to www.latitude38.com and use our free online Crew List.Then come to our Crew List Party on Wednesday, April 3, 6-9pm at Golden Gate Yacht Club on the San Francisco Marina. January, 2008 •

Latitude 38

• Page 107

SIGHTINGS miss catarena Bay Area photographer Peter Lyons captured these fantastic shots of the lovely catboat Catarena during a sail on a fine December day. Catarena was built in 1917 at the Crosby Shipyard in Cape Cod. She originally worked as an oyster dredger up and down the Eastern Seaboard, dragging rakes through the sandy bottom, even in the lightest of wind. At some point, Catarena was acquired by the Los Angelean who donated her to the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park last June. She’s currently under the care of Christian Buhl — who can

PHOTOS PETER LYONS / WWW.LYONSIMAGING.COM

continued on outside column of next sightings page

Page 108 •

Latitude 38

• January, 2008

darla jean wrecks In the December 5 ‘Lectronic Latitude, we reported that the disabled San Francisco-based 47-ft motorsailer Darla Jean wrecked on a reef at Fanning Atoll on December 2 after two and a half months drifting across the Pacific. Owners Darla and Jerry Merrow — and their dog and macaw — were reported by Robby and Lorraine Coleman (who’ve been on Fan-

SIGHTINGS on fanning atoll ning for several months aboard their Honolulu-based Angleman ketch Southern Cross) to be in good physical condition and requesting no assistance, even though Darla Jean was a total loss. We were naturally curious about the couple, so we asked if anyone knew them. Over the next few days, we received emails

catarena — cont’d often be seen on the Bay at Catarena’s helm — and will soon become a ‘frequent flyer’ in the Park’s community sailing programs. For more on those programs (many of which are for kids), contact the Park’s Education Director M.J. Harris at mjharris@maritime.org. — ladonna

francis joyon — our sailing hero

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Catting around — ‘Catarena’ will often be seen next summer at Hyde Street Pier, taking kids out for daysails.

Potentially the greatest sailing achievement since we started covering sailing 30 years ago? We think so. We’re referring to Frenchman Francis Joyon’s assault on Ellen MacArthur’s 71-day solo aroundthe-world record — and, although Joyon never intended it, a run on Bruno Peyron’s crewed Jules Verne-around-the-world record of 52 days with the 125-ft cat Orange II. If you’ve been following our extensive coverage of Joyon’s adventure in ‘Lectronic Latitude, you know he’s racing around the world aboard IDEC, his new 97-ft Irens/Caberet trimaran. As we write this on December 20th, Joyon has passed the halfway mark of the circumnavigation, and is already 2,800 miles ahead of MacArthur’s pace — and that doesn’t take into account the fact that MacArthur came down with a terrible case of the slows coming up the Atlantic. Although you may not be too familiar with the 51-year-old Joyon because, unlike most French superstar sailors, he’s not interested in the spotlight, he’s hardly new to tremendous sailing records. In ‘04, sailing Olivier de Kersauson’s handed-down 92-ft trimaran Sport Elec, renamed IDEC, with 10-year-old sails and no weather router, Joyon set a solo around the world record of just under 73 days. In doing so, he beat the old mark by 20 days. Then, in ‘05, after MacArthur, backed by a huge team and sailing the new purpose-built 75-ft trimaran B&Q Castrorama, nipped his record by a little more than a day, Joyon established a fantastic new solo TransAtlantic record of 6 days, 4 hours, setting a new 24-hour solo record of 543 miles in the process. Exhausted after the record run, Joyon tragically fell asleep while singlehanding IDEC back to France, and piled her up on the rocks off the Breton Coast. She was completely destroyed. When Joyon started his current record run, it was hoped there would be a head-to-head duel between him and Thomas Coville aboard the other Frenchman’s new 105-ft trimaran Sodebo. Although both trimarans were designed by Irens/Caberet, they are quite different. IDEC is eight feet shorter and doesn’t have a rotating mast, both of which would seem to be disadvantages. But she’s a ton lighter, which would seem to be a big advantage in many conditions. Typical of Joyon, IDEC is — unlike Sodebo — spartan and short on creature comforts. For example, when it came to staying warm in the Southern Ocean, where there was always fog and the temperature was always in the high 30s and low 40s, Joyon relied on three layers of polar fleece rather than a heater to stay warm. Coville’s trimaran, on the other hand, has a nice pilothouse and engine-generated heating. Unfortunately, there was a breakdown in the hydraulic system of Coville’s much more complex tri, and Sodebo was unable to begin with IDEC. Joyon started astonishingly fast, rocketing down to the equator. And it wasn’t long before he set a new 24-hour solo record of 616 miles. To put that in perspective, it’s only 450 miles from San Francisco to San Diego. And when the wind went light, Joyon’s average speed plummeted to ‘only’ 15 or 16 knots. As it turned out, Joyon didn’t just start fast — he’s maintained an incredible pace to where he is as we write this, halfway done with the 28,000-mile circumnavigation. At this stage, he’s improved on MacArthur’s time by about 30%, and he managed to sail across the entire Indian Ocean less than an hour slower than Peyron and his team aboard the 125-ft Orange II. It’s astonishing what he’s accomplished already. continued on outside column of next sightings page January, 2008 •

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SIGHTINGS

VINCENT CURUTCHET / DPPI / IDEC

joyon — cont’d It’s also interesting to note how different an experience Joyon is having from the one MacArthur had. For MacArthur, the solo circumnavigation was an incredible mental and physical battle, one she admits she still hasn’t fully recovered from. Joyon, on the other hand, seems to be enjoying himself to no end. Consider the following report from deep in the Southern Ocean. “The wind comes from the southwest at around 20 knots, and it also brings squalls with enormous black clouds full of rain and strong winds that all arrive in one fell swoop. There are always a lot of birds, a mix of albatrosses and smaller ones, plus the beautiful light. It’s really a great day. This morning there was a five-metre swell, but the wind has eased and turned, and now it is a little quieter. So I must adapt. It’s been really interesting sailing since . . . I was going to say since yesterday, but it’s been interesting since I set off!” Is this guy in his element or what? It makes a difference to us that Joyon’s assault on the record is a ‘green’ one, meaning that he insisted on relying on alternative energy sources, “I do my job as a sailor, that’s all.” The rather than an engine or generator, to modest Joyon is a sailor’s sailor. power his boat’s system. “It’s working really well,” Joyon told The Daily Sail. “Having diverse energy sources is great for safety, too. So often you can be at the mercy of engine failure, and be forced to give up. But wind energy — it’s worked perfectly — has given me about 70% of the energy I need for the instruments on board, while the solar panels have done the rest. They operate even in overcast conditions and, at the moment, I’ve been having daylight for 20 hours each day. I do have a fuel cell as a backup, but so far I’ve only used four litres of methanol. It’s nice to be in tune with the environment as, down here in the Southern Ocean, it’s all clean. You see not a trace of waste bags, plastic, bottles — nothing but ocean.” If one was looking for a sailing hero, you’d want him or her to be mentally and physically strong, capable of handing both tremendous success and adversity with equanimity, and be truly in love with what he/she does. Well, we give you Francis Joyon, our sailing hero. We wish him the best of luck for the second half of his great attempt at the record for a solo circumnavigation. — richard

lost on a reef at rangiroa “Having come upon your publication by way of Google,” writes self-described ‘old salt’ Tom Tamburrino, “can you tell me what happened to actor Sterling Hayden’s 97-ft schooner Wanderer? There are hundreds of references to her, but none of them answer the question of what happened to the schooner after Hayden owned her.” To give a little background, Wanderer was built by San Francisco’s Union Iron Works in 1893 for John D. Spreckels of the sugar family, and had been christened Grace S. after one of Spreckel’s daughters. During the Hayden years, Wanderer was skippered by Omar Darr, father of Bob Darr, who now runs the Arques Boatbuilding School in Sausalito. The senior Darr bought and sailed the schooner with Joe Price in 1961, then sold his share to Price in ‘64, who hired Capt. Bill King to run her. According to Bob Darr, Wanderer was tragically lost on a reef at continued on outside column of next sightings page Page 110 •

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darla jean from Darla’s sister, Kimberly Corcoran, and son, Steve Cliché, filling in some of the blanks in a fascinating story. “They left San Francisco on a different boat but hit a bad storm just outside of the Gate,” said Kimberly. “They made it as far as Monterey when something happened to their keel. That’s where they decided to buy Darla Jean.” According to Steve, a Navy vet just returned home to Arkansas from Iraq, Darla and Jerry had very little sailing experience

Despite the solitude and rigors of sailing solo around the world, Joyon’s state of mind has been described as “serene.”

SIGHTINGS — cont’d

wanderer — cont’d Rangiroa on the night of November 7, 1964. King was considered to be a competent skipper who had just been unlucky that night. Sailing, it must be added, was considerably more risky back then, as GPS hadn’t been invented, and radar and other electronics weren’t what they are today. If anybody knows any further details of the loss of Wanderer, we — and our readership — would be interested to hear them. Newer generations of sailors may not be familiar with Sterling Hayden and Wanderer, but they should be, for Hayden was a bold and larger-than-life figure. He was born in New Jersey, and his father died when Sterling was only nine, at which time he was adopted and took

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JEAN MARIE LIOT / DPPI / IDEC

before setting off on their dream voyage. “Everyone told them to wait until they knew what they were doing,” he recalled, “but ‘The Skipper’ insisted everything would be fine.” In preparation for the trip to their ultimate destination of the Cook Islands, the couple built what Steve refers to as an “upper floor” out of 2x4s and plywood on what he believes was a trimaran (he never saw Darla Jean). Darla contacted her sister just before

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SIGHTINGS wanderer — cont’d on his new father’s last name. During his youth he lived all over the eastern United States, and his moving around didn’t change much

DIANE BEESTON

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darla jean leaving Monterey on September 20 and that’s the last anyone heard from them . . . until they washed up on Fanning

SIGHTINGS — cont’d Island, more than 1,700 miles north of their original destination. “It had been continued in middle column of next sightings page

This 1964 photo of ‘Wanderer’ was taken just weeks before she wrecked on a reef in Rangaroa.

wanderer — cont’d once he was an adult. A true adventurer, Hayden ran away at 17 to be a ship’s boy, fished the Grand Banks, got his first command at the tender age of 19, and reportedly circumnavigated several times. Somehow the 6’5” Hayden became a print model and then an actor. Dubbed “the most beautiful man in the movies” during World War II, he became an undercover agent with what was to later become the Office of Strategic Services. He also served in the marines, running guns through German lines to Yugoslav partisans, and parachuting into fascist Croatia. He lived a life that was truly more exciting than the movies he starred in. Hayden returned to Hollywood after the war. He claimed to dislike the profession, and said that he only acted in order to get the money necessary to buy and maintain sailboats. His most notorious exploit was, after losing a bitter custody battle in ‘59 for his children Christian, Dana, Gretchen and Matthew, defying a court order by taking off with the kids to Tahiti aboard Wanderer, with the likes of Spike Africa as crew. In the early ‘60s, Hayden rented one of the pilothouses in the old ferryboat Berkeley Hayden was once called the “most beautiful man in the movies.” docked in Sausalito — which, at the time, was a pretty interesting place. While there, he wrote Wanderer, a biography that all sailors should read. Although he later bought a canal barge in the Netherlands, and ultimately lived aboard her in the heart of Paris, he died in Sausalito of prostate cancer in ‘86 at age 70. To our thinking, Hayden’s best movie role was that of Colonel Jack D. Ripper in Dr. Strangelove, Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. We saw that movie at the Elmwood Theatre in Berkeley in ‘64 while in high school, and can still remember laughing like crazy as the skeptical Jack D. Ripper machine-gunned a Coke machine to get a nickel to (indirectly) protect the precious bodily fluids of all Americans. Hayden’s best writing is the oft-quoted passage from his autobiography Wanderer: “To be truly challenging, a voyage, like a life, must rest on a firm foundation of financial unrest. Otherwise, you are doomed to a routine traverse, the kind known to yachtsmen who play with their boats at sea — ‘cruising,’ it is called. Voyaging belongs to seamen, and to the wanderers of the world who cannot, or will not, fit in. If you are contemplating a voyage, and you have the means, abandon the venture until your fortunes change. Only then will you know what the sea is all about. “‘I’ve always wanted to sail to the South Seas, but I can’t afford it.’ What these men can’t afford is not to go. They are enmeshed in the cancerous discipline of ‘security’. And in the worship of security we fling our lives beneath the wheels of routine — and before we know it, our lives are gone. “What does a man need — really need? A few pounds of food each day, heat and shelter, six feet to lie down in — and some form of working activity that will yield a sense of accomplishment. That’s all — in the material sense, and we know it. But we are brainwashed by our economic system until we end up in a tomb beneath a pyramid of time payments, mortgages, preposterous gadgetry, playthings that divert our attention from the sheer idiocy of the charade. “The years thunder by. The dreams of youth grow dim where they lie caked in dust on the shelves of patience. Before we know it, the tomb is sealed. “Where, then, lies the answer? In choice. Which shall it be: bankruptcy of purse or bankruptcy of life?” — richard January, 2008 •

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SIGHTINGS getting a cruising cat the hard way

crew list time Say, hypothetically, that Tom Cruise and Penelope Cruz get back together and decide to go sailing to, oh, Santa Cruz. They could do so by taking part in our spring Crew List. And then we could title an continued on outside column of next sightings page Page 114 •

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PHOTOS COURTESY SEA LEVEL

Coloradan Jim Milski has spent his entire working life in the construction industry. So when he was toying with the idea of building his own cruising catamaran, he figured, "How hard can it be?" Having finally launched Sea Level last month after two long years of laying-up, glassing, shaping, casting, installing and painting, he admitted, "It turned out to be the toughest thing I've ever done, and I couldn't have done it if I hadn't had help." Luckily, he did have a lot of help. In fact, the long list of professionals who played key roles in the project reads like a Who's Who of the West Coast boating industry — far too many to list here. (See the website www. levelmarine.com for a complete list and a wealth of construction photos.) Plenty of non-profesJim and Kent Milski. sionals pitched in too, including his son Evan and daughters Samar and Alex — and, most importantly, his wife Kent, who was amazingly supportive throughout the project: "She actually said, 'Don't worry about the money.'" Jim's first sailing experience was in 1980, when a couple of friends took him sailing on a Hobie 16. Despite getting launched right through the jib, he claims, "from that moment on I was hooked." Soon afterwards he got hold of a Catalina 16, which he and Kent used to hone their skills — through trial and error — on 8,600-foot-high Lake San Cristobal. Years later, a family charter out of Key West fueled the couple's cruising dreams, and they eventually bought a Privilege 39 in St. Martin in 1995. That boat's performance was a bit disappointing, however, which led to the notion of building a performance cruiser from scratch. After exhaustive research, Jim settled on a design by Brett Schionning of Australia. Before fully committing to the project, though, he sought the advice of both retired engineer Blair Grinols, who'd custom-built the 45-ft Capricorn Cat, and Latitude 38 publisher Richard Spindler, who'd overseen the design and construction of the 63-ft cat Profligate. They both sincerely tried to talk Jim out of taking on such a daunting project, but he was determined. He flew to Australia, where he picked the brains of 16 boatbuilders. A daysail aboard a Schionning 33 — during which they hit 17 knots — sealed the deal. Jim flew home with a complete set of plans, having placed an order for the hull materials to be shipped out by freighter. Next, Jim and Kent moved to the Bay Area and began searching for a build site, eventually renting a WWII-era Quonset hut on Mare Island. Fast forward to the present and you'll find the couple eagerly anticipating a sea trial, having recently stepped their custom-built Ballenger spar. With retractable daggerboards and 35 inches of bridgedeck clearance, Sea Level is expected to point higher than most production cats and ride well over ocean swells. Now that the untold hours of labor are behind them, the Milskis can refocus on their original goal: to go cruising! We have a strong hunch that Sea Level will be on the starting line of Baja Ha-Ha 15 next October. — andy

darla jean over two months since I’d heard anything from them, and the whole family was worried,” Kimberly said. “I emailed the Coast Guard to see if they could give me info on their whereabouts and was sent a link to your story. We’re all so thankful to know that they are safe!” According to sketchy reports from Fanning, it appears Darla Jean had problems after leaving Monterey that left her unable to either sail or motor. As such, she ap-

SIGHTINGS — cont’d parently “drifted” across the Pacific until reaching the reef on the southeast side of Fanning. Once ashore and in the hands of Immigration (Jerry had reportedly lost his passport), the couple made it clear they didn’t want any outside help. They stayed on the island until December 14, when they left on an inter-island steamer bound for Christmas Island. Strangely, none of Darla’s family has yet to hear from her. — ladonna

crew list — cont’d article about it “Cruise/Cruz Cruise Crew List for Cruising Boat to Santa Cruz.” Hey, it could happen. Or not. Anyway, welcome to the leaner, cleaner Crew List — the place and time of year where we solicit sailors of all ages, genders and interests to sign up for something new this coming year. It used to be this write-up was accompanied by forms that you’d cut out, fill in and mail to us in the categories of Cruising, Racing, Daysailing, Co-Chartering and Boat Swapping. Now that we’ve conceded this internet thingie might actually be around for awhile, we’ve gone completely electronic on continued on outside column of next sightings page

It took blood, sweat and tears — not to mention two years — but ‘Sea Level’ was finally launched last month

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SIGHTINGS crew list — cont’d the Crew List forms. You will no longer find them — or the resultant lists — in the magazine, but can access them anytime 24/7 by going to www.latitude38.com and clicking on the ‘Crew List Forms’ link. Doing it this way, an independent lab has confirmed, means Latitude uses a couple rainforest acres less paper, has lowered our collective blood pressure at least 20 points and emits far fewer hydrocarbons into the atmosphere. Darned if this thing hasn’t turned into the downright Prius of Crew Lists.

PHOTOS GARY ROBERTSHAW

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pucker In the Coast Guard, ‘Surfman’ carries the same connotation as Army Ranger or Navy Seal — an elite few who can go out in conditions like this and not only save other people’s lives but, most of the time, retain their own. This spectacular sequence by photographer Gary Robertshaw shows a 44-ft motorlifeboat conducting Surfman training outside Morro Bay on

SIGHTINGS factor 10 December 4. The first photo (inset, top) shows the boat just before the ‘big one’ — estimated at more than 20 feet — hits. In the spread, the boat is vertical. In the continued in middle column of next sightings page

crew list — cont’d The basic instructions for using the Crew Lists can be found online, so this is mainly a reminder and a bit of a pep rally. But as a quick review, the mission of the Crew List has always been the same: to get people who want to crew together with skippers who need crew. When you fill out the appropriate form for the kind of sailing you hope to do in 2008, your information will go online immediately (another big difference from the stone age of two years ago) — there to be viewed and possibly acted upon by potential crew or skippers. Our ‘sea trials’ for this brave new world were done on last fall’s Mexico-Only Crew List, and we were, at first, disheartened by the seeming lack of skippers looking for crew. We finally realized that lots of boat owners were taking part — but they were finding crew so fast (and thereafter removing their listings) that the list always seemed small. So one of the similarities between the ‘new’ lists and ‘old’ remains intact — don’t delay, because the best rides can come and go quickly, especially those involving racing, since racers need to put their programs together a bit earlier than the other groups. The Racing, Cruising and Daysailing categories are self-explanatory. ‘Co-Chartering’ just means you’re willing to pitch in with other folks to share expenses aboard a charter boat in some far-flung locale, or perhaps join in with a larger group for a flotilla charter. The Boat-Swapping category, which seems like a great idea to us but has always been the least-used category, simply means you are volunteering to ‘swap’ your boat for a week or more with someone in, say, Chesapeake Bay — that family sails your Islander 36 around the Bay for a week while you enjoy their like-size boat on the Chesapeake. The bottom line: For just about any sailing experience you’d like to try, short of sailing in the America’s Cup, there is a Crew List category. (We hear there are still openings on a few America’s Cup teams if you’re a lawyer — though you won’t be doing much sailing.) As mentioned, the Crew Lists are open to anyone, and you don’t have to be listed to contact those who are. However, we do ask that you take responsibility for whatever comes of it. So, for the record, the Latitude 38 Crew List, and the Crew List forms, are intended for informational purposes only. Latitude 38 does not make or imply any guarantee, warranty or recommendation as to the character of individuals participating in the Crew List or the conditions of the boats or equipment. You must judge those things for yourself. Finally, if you’re a newbie at all this, or haven’t ‘Listed in awhile, here are a handful of tips to get you back in the groove. 1) Be honest. The simplest rule of all. In this case, being honest means not inflating your experience or skill level because you think it’s what someone wants to hear. In sailing, perhaps more than any other sport, if you don’t know what you’re talking about, people who do can recognize it instantly. BS’ers don’t get rides. Contrary to what you might think, honest folks with little or no experience often get rides. It has to do with some experienced skippers preferring to train people in their way of doing things. 2) Women can use first names only if they want. Why? Because if you are female, you will get contacts. Possibly lots of them. Back in the paleolithic epoch when all Crew Listing was done over the phone, we knew women who claimed they got hundreds of calls, sometimes months after the Crew List was published. For the same reason, we continued on outside column of next sightings page

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SIGHTINGS crew list — cont’d also recommend that women use only emails for their contact information — and not phone numbers. 3) Follow through. Realize that taking part in the Crew List involves certain obligations — and that by signing up or taking part, you intend to live up to those. Along the same lines, also please realize that the Crew List has enjoyed a long life and great reputation, so don’t be a bad apple. 4) Unlike the old days, the online Crew Lists are free. And everyone who takes part is invited to our spring Crew List Party April 3 at Golden Gate YC, where we will get $7/person out of you at the door to cover expenses. We’ll have more on the Crew Party in a few months. For the Crew Listers in particular, the party can be about more important things than being entertained for a few hours. Everyone wears color-coded name tags indicating whether they are boat owners looking for crew or crew looking for boats, so the party of the first part is easy for the party of the second part to spot at the party. And if the parties of Cruise and Cruz are there, then you could party with the Cruise party of Cruise and Cruz and . . . oh, never mind. — jr

geja for sale again Does everybody remember Eli and Sara Botrell? A year ago October the Northern California couple responded to a story in ‘Lectronic for the Islander 36 Geja, which had been cruised most of the way around the world by Dick and Shirley Sandys of Palo Alto. After Dick died, Shirley put the boat up for sale, where is, as is. She just happened to be in Spain, and the price was just $10,000 to move the boat quickly. Sorely tempted to buy the boat ourselves, we announced that it would be a great deal for a young couple wanting to have a lowcost cruising fling before continuing on with their lives. Because they were quick, the Bottrells, a young couple indeed looking for an inexpensive cruising fling, quickly made an offer and got the boat. How did it turn out? “My wife and I recently returned home after seven months of sailing the Med,” writes Eli. “The trip was incredible, and we’re extremely pleased that we Yes, that’s Tom Perkins’ Belvedere-based 289-ft ‘Maltese made the decision Falcon’ that Sara and Eli are posing on. They met the to drop everything captain, and he gave them a tour. and go cruising.” We’ll have a long report from the Bottrells in the February issue of Latitude but, other than a temporary problem with the autopilot, the boat was trouble-free. They did, however, do quite a bit of work on her before setting out. With the couple about to charge into ‘real life’ mode, they’re putting the boat up for sale, where is, as is, for $20,000. She just happens continued on outside column of next sightings page Page 118 •

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pucker factor third photo (inset, bottom), the boat is on its side but, as designed, it righted itself within 10 seconds and the crew motored in before the next set. It probably goes without saying that these boats are built expressly to handle these conditions, and the crew is strapped securely in place. So next time you deride the Coast Guard for inconveniencing you with a safety boarding, part of their new Home-

SIGHTINGS land security duties, remember these photos, and remember the most important of their many missions — going to the aid of those in peril on the sea. So when the crap hits the fan and most of us weekend warriors go running for cover, the Coasties go out into the belly of the beast and save lives. This is how they practice for it. — jr

geja — cont’d to be up a river near Pisa. True, it’s twice the price they paid for the boat, but they did a number of improvements, and the price may or may not include an inflatable and outboard. If you see any spots on the pages, it’s because we’re drooling again. Let’s see, if we got three other partners, that would be only $5,000 each — for a boat just a short distance from Capri and Elba, and not all that far from Greece, Turkey, Croatia, Spain and France! To be fair, we’ll give everyone a few weeks to do a deal on the boat — email the couple at geja@bottrell.org if you’re interested. If she’s not sold by then, we don’t believe we’ll be able to stop ourselves. — richard

Not having a lot of money didn’t stop Northern Californians Eli and Sara from enjoying a summer of cruising their own 36-footer in the Med. It’s going to be hard for them to resume normal life after enjoying many romantic ports — some of them with free berthing — along the Italian coast.

PHOTOS COURTESY GEJA

— cont’d

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SIGHTINGS hubris happens

It may come as news to some of you that Latitude publishes, not 12, but 13 magazine-size publications every year. In addition to the regular monthly ‘books’, 2007 marks the 17th year for our Northern California Sailing Calendar and YRA Master Schedule, which is now available at all the usual outlets that carry Latitude. The Calendar started out as kind of an experiment back in 1991. Although we’ve always tried to keep up with things in our monthly Calendar column in the magazine, there was no one central source that listed all the various YRA races, clubs, contacts and other information that racers need. So we thought we’d create one and see if it got any traction. That it did, like a muscle car doing burnouts, and it has grown by leaps and bounds every year since. The first year, it was

Call it Murphy’s Law, or just bad luck, but sometimes trouble strikes in the final phase of an otherwise uneventful journey. It happened to Nigel Tetley near the end of the famous Golden Globe Race — a shoe-in for the fastest time, his boat broke up 2,000 miles from finishing the first solo ‘round-the-world race. It happened to voyager William Peterson — he was forced to abandon his Newport 40 after dismasting several hundred miles short of completing a nine-year circumnaviga-

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LATITUDE / HERB

yra calendar is out

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SIGHTINGS

DOUG THORNE

yra calendar — cont’d

Just when they were probably thinking about getting out the docklines and fenders . . . whammo!

pacific cup preview The Pacific Cup — with starts between July 14-19 — returns this summer with more emphasis on the ‘fun race to Hawaii’ aspect than ever before. Begun in 1980 as an ‘even year’ alternative to the more serious TransPac (which runs in odd-numbered years) — and with the added attraction of a San Francisco start — the Pacific Cup has become a must-do West Coast event in its own right. Limited to 70 boats by the capacity of Kaneohe Bay, the Pac Cup rarely fails to deliver capacity crowds at the end of its sundrenched 2,070 course. And though few boats are turned away, the waiting list is always long. This year is no exception, with — count ‘em — 79 sign-ups already showing on the race website. That group includes a number of ‘usual suspects’ as well as some fresh new faces. Among the veterans: Merlin — Bill Lee’s original Magic Bus returns to the scene of three previous elapsed time records. Donn Campion is chartering the 67-ft thoroughbred. Rage — Another big utralight and Pac Cup record holder. Steve Rander will once again be at the tiller when the Wylie 70 hits the starting line. E.T. — Liz Baylis and Todd Hedin’s Antrim 27 has won her division three times in a row and is back for another try. That’s just a quick glimpse. We’ll be featuring much more about the Pac Cup in the months to come. In the meantime, log onto the website (www.pacificcup.org) and check out the latest news, crew list, seminar schedule — and yes, even online entry forms! — jr

only 12 pages long. This year — it’s hard for even us to believe this — it weighs in at 100 pages! And by all indications, it is a valuable resource for everyone who races in Northern California, from YRA to PICYA to yacht clubs to individual racers. There’s lots of great stuff in the 2008 edition, including: • A YRA sign-up form (there’s also one of these in this issue). Which means you’ve run out of excuses for getting these in late. • Women’s program — the official list of 18 races which constitute our Women’s Challenge. The woman who participates in the most gets recognized in these pages as ‘Queen of the Women’s Circuit’. The 2007 winner was Lucie Mewes. • Basic Racing Guidelines — Paul Cayard can skip this part, but we’ve reduced the often complex and confusing racing rules to 10 easyto-understand ones, which begin with the unwritten “Have Fun!” • YRA’s latest rules, courses, changes and fleets for 2008 — even charts indicating where all the buoys are. • A listing of nearly every youth program in Northern California — four column’s worth — and how to get in contact with all of them. • Sunrise/sunset times and tide currents for every weekend. • Contacts for, well, just about everybody and every organization having anything to do with racing on the Bay, rivers or lakes. And last but not least, a bunch of great advertisers who make it all possible. Please give these great folks all the support you can in the coming year — and tell them you saw it in the Latitude Calendar! Now go grab one before they’re all gone. — jr

three west coast-bound boats missing The searches for three missing West Coast-bound boats have been suspended indefinitely, though the Coast Guard is asking everyone to keep a sharp eye out for them. Everett Evans, 67, set off from Kauai, Hawaii on August 17, bound for Ketchikan, Alaska on his Aquarius 21 Grace. The boat is a small trailerable daysailor that, according to official estimates, should have made it to the West Coast by the end of September. Chris Malchow, 31, and Courtenay Steele, 27, left Hilo on September 8 aboard Takaroa II, their 30-ft Tahiti ketch. Takaroa was equipped with EPIRB, GPS, a liferaft and other safety gear, but their radio wasn’t working. A major search was launched with no sightings. Finally, Haoshi Yara, also 67, and on his way from Japan to either Vancouver, B.C. or San Francisco, was last heard from on October 18 when he was about 800 miles off the Oregon coast. His rudder had been disabled, he’d run out of diesel, his main had been damaged and he was steering with an emergency tiller. If you have information about any of these boats or their owners, contact USCG Alameda at rccalameda@uscg.mil or (510) 437-3701. — ladonna

sea of cortez sailing week returns Back in ‘83, the Wanderer and Kathy McCarthy, who founded Latitude 38, spent Thanksgiving Day anchored on our Freya 39 Contrary to Ordinary at Caleta Partida, about 25 miles north of La Paz. It was so beautiful and the water was so warm that the Wanderer decided it would be cool to hold an Antigua Sailing Week-type end-of-season event there for cruisers. So in the next month’s Latitude, we announced that we’d return the following March with a BBQ, volleyball net, and some ideas for a race course, for what we dubbed Sea of Cortez Sailing Week. It was an idea whose time had come, because just about everybody with a boat or an interest in boats in La Paz seized the idea and ran like continued on outside column of next sightings page January, 2008 •

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SIGHTINGS sailing week — cont’d hell with it. So when we showed up at Caleta Partida, 64 boats were already there, and there had already been a big formal-dress opening ceremony in La Paz with local officials and the Mexican Navy. There were also a Mexican Navy destroyer at Caleta Partida to start two of the races, a Mexican Air Force plane that did a fly-by, and all kinds of prizes donated by merchants in La Paz and the tourism folks. Boat races were held on three afternoons and, on the other days and nights, there were social events on the beach. Chess, backgammon and other games were popular, and so was playing music. Since a vendor had come up from La Paz and set up a big beer concession, and because we were so young and naughty, we engaged in some youthful indiscretions, too. For example, we organized a wet T-shirt contest for the women and a wet bun competition for the men. In retrospect, it’s amazing how many women and men were happy to strut their stuff in these contests, which turned out to be strange combinations of group love — in the platonic sense — and lightweight lust. Anyway, Sea of Cortez Sailing Week took off like an ultralight sled down a steep wave in the Cerralvo Channel. The following year over 200 boats showed up, and there was a more elaborate beach concession, with hundreds of chairs, scores of tables with umbrellas, and several outhouses. Before long, we were roasting pigs in the ground, and some particularly well-endowed women were setting up their cruising itineraries around the dates of the wet T-shirt contest. But as should have been expected, as the event grew, certain people began to smell money. They couldn’t be held in check by committee members, as most of them sailed off to other parts of the world after the event. As the ‘father’ of Sea of Cortez Sailing Week, we were too far away and had too many other things to do to supervise. So after about five strong years or so, Club Cruceros de La Paz sort of adopted the event and, while some years were better than others, it went into a long period of considerable decline. After limping along for about 15 years, a La Paz restaurant set up a competing event out at the islands on the same dates, and Club Cruceros decided to throw in the towel. The restaurant’s event lasted but two weak years. For the last three years, Club Cruceros has hosted La Paz Bay Fest instead, which is a lot of social activities and one race. And they will be doing that again this year on April 11-13. But we’re here to announce that Sea of Cortez Sailing Week is back! Based on the great attendance — 100 or so people on 29 boats — and the great fun that everybody had at December’s Pirates for Pupil’s Banderas Bay Blast, it’s become clear to us that there’s a certain segment of the cruising population in Mexico whose desire for ‘nothing serious’ racing is not being met. So we’re reviving Sailing Week out at the islands north of La Paz — but on a more modest scale. Why not have a huge one like the old The lovely women in the first ever Sailing Week days? Primarily for ecoseemed to enjoy it as much as the grizzly men. logical reasons. Turtle Bay, Bahia Santa Maria and Cabo can all handle Ha-Ha size fleets, but that’s not true for Caleta Partida. As such, there will be no beach concessions, no outhouses, no cooking pigs on the beach, no outboard-powered dinghy racing and, as long as some individuals — we continued on outside column of next sightings page

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hubris tion. And it happened to a delivery crew bringing the Celestial 48 Tamara Lee Ann back to Alameda from the Baja Ha-Ha. After an otherwise trouble-free 1,250mile bash up the coast, the crew apparently lost their concentration momentarily while entering the Oakland Estuary and slammed into a set of pilings near the Alameda Ferry doing six knots. The boat’s

SIGHTINGS permanent slip lay only a mile away. We air this sad tale not to beat up on the delivery crew — hey, you-know-what happens, especially in the realm of sailing — but as a warning to everyone to always keep a proper watch and anticipate potential mishaps, even when you think you’re home free. — andy

sailing week — cont’d won’t mention any names — can contain their deep-seated ecdysiastical urges, there won’t be any official wet T-shirt or wet buns contests either. In fact, with a core group of three big cats — Wayne Hendryx and Carol Baggerly’s Brisbane-based Hughes 45 Capricorn Cat, Jim Forquer’s Newport Beach-based Catana 52 Legato, and Latitude’s Punta Mita-based 63-ft Profligate — some, if not all, of the social events will be on the boats as opposed to the beaches. And maybe we’ll rotate the base of activities from Caleta Partida to Ensenada Grande or, if the continued on outside column of next sightings page

Spread: Nobody ever expected that more than 200 boats would show up in Caleta Partida for Sea of Cortez Sailing Week. Inset: Boats of all types, from 20-footers to the 73-ft ‘Kialoa II’ would race in the early years.

PHOTOS ‘LECTRONIC / RICHARD

— cont’d

January, 2008 •

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SIGHTINGS sailing week — cont’d wind is right, have a fun race up to Isla San Francisco. The dates will be April 1-6, and that’s no April Fool’s joke. Given the initial favorable response we’ve received to the concept, the problem might be how to limit participation to 30 boats and 100 people. We’re going to attempt to do this by emphasizing the fact that this event will be much more sailing-oriented than socially-oriented. In other words — and we sure don’t want to sound elitist — if

MARTIN COUDRIET

continued on outside column of next sightings page

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short EUREKA, CA — We don’t think Craig Peterson had a death wish, but he certainly showed poor judgement when he left Brookings, Oregon in late November bound for Alaska aboard his, ahem, Catalina 25 Jack . . . and just a few days before one of the biggest — and best forecasted — storms of the season.

SIGHTINGS Peterson called a mayday on December 2, notifying the Coast Guard that his rudder had broken and he was taking water over the side of the boat. A helo out of Humbolt Bay located Jack 30 miles offshore in 30-ft seas and 45-knot sustained winds. Peterson jumped overboard and continued in middle column of next sightings page

Benoit Lequin and Pierre-Yves Moreau raced this 20-ft beach cat 2,700 miles across the Atlantic faster than all 240 boats in the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers.

sailing week — cont’d you and your boat are like a voyeur at an orgy when it comes to fun racing, and you don’t like to fly chutes, this event won’t really be up your alley. But it doesn’t matter what kind or size of boat you have, if you’re into Ha-Ha-style racing, and believe in being super-respectful of the environment, email richard@latitude38.com and let us know how interested you are. We want Club Cruceros to know that we have no intention of competing with their La Paz Bay Fest, where the importance of sailing to social activities is reversed. In fact, we believe a revived Sea of Cortez Sailing Week can attract boats to La Paz that will be happy to participate in La Paz Bay Fest, too. — richard

more french record breakers There’s no denying that the French are showing the world the way when it comes to ballsy ocean sailing. The day before Francis Joyon set the new 24-hour record with IDEC, Benoit Lequin, 33, and Pierre-Yves Moreau, 35, two other Frenchmen, established a new transatlantic record for a . . . beach cat. The very experienced duo sailed their 20-ft cat 2,700 miles from Dakar, Senegal, to Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe, in just 11 days and 11 hours, breaking the old record by more than two days. For the sake of comparison, the first three boats to finish the 2,700 “Oui oui! We are zee best!” miles Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, from the Canary Islands to St. Lucia, were the Matelot, a Southern Wind 80, which took 12 days, 15 hours; AAG Big One, a Volvo 70 that took 12 days, 13 hours; and Venemous, a Swan 86 that took 12 days, 13 hours. Incroyable, no? — richard

updates in the bismarck dinius case Channel 7’s Dan Noyes has been doing a terrific job of following up on what we think is an outrageous case of injustice in Lake County. He’s put the spotlight on three telling pieces of new information: • Sheriff Deputy Russell Perdock has changed his story three times in regard to his speed the night he slammed his powerboat into the drifting sailboat on which Lynn Thornton was killed. 40? 45? 35? He can’t seem to make up his mind, but even if it was ‘only’ 35, it was too fast for the conditions, clearly in violation of California boating laws. • All six Lake County judges recused themselves from Perdock’s divorce proceedings because they all knew him personally but, oddly, two have refused to do so in the Bismarck Dinius case. • Noyes interviewed Perdock’s soon-to-be ex-wife who claimed Perdock was a speed freak — he loved driving his cars and boats fast, scaring his wife and endangering others in the process. To get the details on these revelations, check out Noyes’ excellent coverage at http://iteamblog.abc7news.com. — ladonna

ice station tara The 119-ft aluminum schooner Tara has been adrift for more than a year, and the eight-person crew is anxious to start sailing again. But it’s going to be at least another month of scientific work, snowball continued on outside column of next sightings page

January, 2008 •

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JF MADELAINE / ARCHI-FACTORY

sightings

SIGHTINGS tara — cont’d fights and hikes to the outhouse before that happens. Then again, how many people can say they’ve drifted more than 3,000 miles — frozen solid in ice? That’s right, the research vessel Tara and her crew have been traversing the far ‘northwest passage’ with the Arctic sea ice itself. In addition to having one of the most unique experiences of any modern voyager, they have made some amazing and startling discoveries. The beginnings of this expedition go back years. In fact, you could say the beginnings of the Tara Expedition began with the brutal murder of Kiwi sailing legend Sir Peter Blake by pirates in the Brazilian Amazon in December, 2001. At that time, the boat was named Seamaster, and Blake captained not only the specially built boat, but Blakexpeditions, an ambitious project to sail and study the health of the world’s oceans — which included an Antarctic voyage just prior continued on outside column of next sightings page

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shorts was saved by a rescue swimmer. LAGOS, PORTUGAL — French siblings Corinne Caspar, 49, and Thierry Beille, 52, were each sentenced on December 12 to 24 years in prison for the murder of André Le Floch. Prosecutors successfully proved that the pair beat and strangled the 67-year-old Le Floch on August 17, 2006, in an effort to steal his 66-ft trimaran, Intermezzo, worth $143,000. Caspar and Beille were found adrift in a dinghy off the coast of Portugal that day, not far from the capsized Intermezzo, where rescuers found the bound and weighted-down body of Le Floch. Au-

SIGHTINGS tara — cont’d

— cont’d

Freeze frame — Shackleton’s ‘Endurance’? No, the spread shows ‘Tara’ during her frigid Arctic passage. Above, just who was brave enough to use that bike?

PHOTOS COURTESY TARA

thorities believe the inexperienced pair caused the capsize by not lowering the centerboard during a mild storm. GEORGETOWN, SC — The Coast Guard covered 50,000 square miles between Delaware and Miami over four days in early December searching in vain for two overdue Canadian sailors aboard their Columbia 29 Pride. The search was suspended on December 12. On December 13, a disabled Pride was towed into Georgetown after surviving a storm that blew her off course. Her crew was unharmed, if a little exhausted. — ladonna

to the Amazon. The fate of the boat and the project were lost in the flurry of press and outrage over Sir Peter’s death. Seamaster resurfaced in Newport, Rhode Island, in 2003 where Pippa Blake, Sir Peter’s widow, put her up for sale. Included was all the scientific equipment which Blakexpeditions had installed, as well as lots of cold weather gear. Grant Redvers acquired the boat in 2004 and renamed her Tara for the French non-profit Tara Expeditions, an organization which sponsors studies of the impact of global warming in the high latitudes. Although the end of Blakexpeditions was nearly as traumatic for his family and followers as the loss of the man himself, we feel Sir Peter would be proud of what she has accomplished. Most recently, Redvers and a scientific team sailed her up into the Arctic seas above Alaska and, in September, 2006, let the ice grab her. They’ve been riding the ‘conveyor belt’ ever since. At the one-year mark, they had traveled 2,100 miles — the length of a TransPac — from west to east, in the process passing closer than any other boat in history to the North Pole: 88 miles. In December, the ice started showing signs of weakening, but they don’t expect to be fully released and underway until sometime in February in the area near Fram’s Strait (between Greenland and Spitzberg) at 80° N. Total transit time will have been around 400 days; total distance, around 3,000 miles. Tara is of course not the first vessel to be frozen in ice. The ice grabbed and crushed many a ship in the old days (the loss of 31 whaling ships in this same area in 1871 broke the back of the American whaling industry). But she is one of only a few expressly designed to deal with the brute force of nature in such a situation. Besides being built extremely strong, her steeply flaring sides tend to make her ‘squirt’ above the crushing force of the ice, like a slippery watermelon seed squeezed between the fingers. She is superbly outfitted for her mission. Updates made by the Tara team include solar panels, wind generators and LED lighting, which make her 60% more energy efficient than before. She makes fresh water by melting ice. The crew grows their own vegetables to supplement the nine tons of stores aboard. And they use ‘outhouses’ set away from the boat so that the environment surrounding the boat does not become contaminated. This ‘black water’ will remain frozen in the ice until it’s released in the Greenland Sea, and “broken down by natural processes.” They compact and keep the rest of their wastes for later disposal. The main purpose of Tara’s ice drift was to study the Arctic sea ice. Studies of the last few years indicated that it’s going away faster than it’s forming. Some models predict it will only be a few decades before it disappears completely every summer. This, of course, would have an enormous environmental and socio-economic impact. So far, almost every test and observation done by the Tara team indicates that the models are incorrect — the ice is actually moving and melting faster than previously thought. The boat moved about six miles a day, twice what the Tara team had predicted and three times more than the models said. The ice was also much thinner, and outside temps don’t get as cold as they used to. The mean temperature last month, for example, was ‘only’ 18° below zero — practically tanning weather compared to a decade ago. The most shocking prediction to come of the study: “Given the actual pace of ice pack retreat . . . 8 to 10 years would be sufficient for the summer ice pack to disappear,” said a recent report. Tara’s complete body of findings and their consequences are far beyond the scope of our brief mention here. But to anyone concerned about global warming and the environment — or just about one of the great boating adventures in modern experience — their website is a must-read: www.taraexpeditions.org. — jr January, 2008 •

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CABO CATASTROPHE REVISITED

— SHATTERED DREAMS

tanding in the cockpit, we could sometimes look up and see (the ferro-cement hull of) Jolina 30 feet above us," reported Jerry Sieren of the Tayana 37 Sea Wren. ". . . Fearing that she'd land right on top of us, we went below and lay on the floor beneath the salon table." It was 25 winters ago — 1982 — that an entire fleet of cruisers was caught off guard as gale-force winds and huge seas ripped through the Cabo San Lucas anchorage, sinking or pounding to pieces 24 sailboats and 6 powerboats. (Sea Wren was among them, but Jolina eventually made it safely out to sea.) A major byproduct of the carnage, of course, was the shattered dreams of dozens of sailors, many of whom had worked for years preparing for their new cruising lifestyle. Remarkably, however, there was no loss of life. Although full-blown hurricanes in the Caribbean and elsewhere had wrought greater devastation to pleasure boat fleets, here on the Pacific Coast the trail of destruction left by this infamous December 7 blow was so unprecedented that we dubbed it "The Pearl Harbor of cruising" in our extensive first-hand coverage. It was customary back then, as it still is today, for cruisers to anchor in relatively shallow water close to the beach — and, some would say, dangerously close together. On that fateful day, about 35 cruising boats were anchored bow and stern in two rows. Cabo's beach, now lined by swank hotels, was a scene of terrible carnage.The Atkins 35 ketch 'Clione' was badly holed when she landed atop a powerboat.

CABO CATASTROPHE REVISITED Today, of course, sailors have all manner of weather forecasting data at their fingertips. But in the early '80s, a falling barometer and ominous skies were the principle predictors of trouble ahead when cruising Mexican waters. On December 7 the weather had been unsettled all day, then late in the afternoon a brief 25-knot squall blew through from WSW. But only a few sailors took the cue and headed out to sea, as the anchorage was protected from that direc-

tion. And besides, it was a full five weeks after the official end of hurricane season. "I didn't do anything because nobody else did," was a common admission in the aftermath. The Sea Wren crew described how, shortly before dark, the wind accelerated from zero to 35 knots in a quarter of an hour out of the SSE — an angle from which the local topography offered no protection. Other reliable sources report-

ed sustained winds of 45 knots during the six-hour ordeal, with gusts up to 60. But as always, it was the accompanying waves which did most of the damage. Variously reported to be 8, 10, 15 feet and larger, they were, by any measure, sufficiently stout and powerful to turn the normally tranquil anchorage into a battlefield. Within minutes the most experienced sailor of the lot was in the process of learning a very hard lesson.

Clockwise from upper left: Some fiberglass production boats were completely obliterated; Moitessier's dismasted 'Joshua' was eventually resurrected by a new owner; although the CT 37 'Gypsy Magic' looks salvageable, she too was a total loss; the normally pristine beach resembled a battlefield; many hands contributed to the refloating of the Bristol Channel Cutter 'Vagabundo'. All photos latitude / richard

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— SHATTERED DREAMS Acclaimed French singlehander Bernard Moitessier — who had been living in Sausalito for several years previously — had anchored his steel-hulled, 40-ft ketch Joshua closest to the beach of all. He was soon on the radio requesting assistance, as his one-lunger diesel was no match for the waves' tremendous force. But his neighbors all had their hands full, to put it mildly, and Joshua was the first to be swept up the beach. Many others fol-

lowed shortly afterwards, including the L.A.-based Peterson 44 Freling, which was swept right over Joshua, dismasting her. The next day Moitessier, then 57, reasoned that he could not face the prospect of a rebuild and simply gave away the battered hull to a crewman off the San Francisco-based schooner Elias Mann. (That wooden 68-footer had weathered the storm safely.) In the aftermath of the tragedy ev-

eryone had a dramatic tale to tell, some of them textbook illustrations of how a series of problems can escalate into calamity. Aboard the Nevada-based Bounty II Adalante, for example, a sheet fouled the prop while her crew was attempting to set sail toward open water. The Novato-based Wind Dancer's anchor chain jumped the windlass then snapped her sampson post. Both boats were total losses. Others reported heavy anchor chain breaking due to the strain of the

January, 2008 •

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CABO CATASTROPHE REVISITED

FPO LATITUDE / RICHARD

violent waves. And perhaps most vexing was the fact that the near-shore waters became littered with all manner of debris, which made fouling of props and engine intakes almost a certainty.

ne of the lessons learned from this painful night was that some of the boats anchored in deeper water came through it completely unscathed, apart from their crews' jangled nerves. Most, but not all, who went out to sea early dodged the bullet also, but few who attempted to do so during the height of the chaos were successful. Some of the surviving boats and their crews went on to cruise extensively, however. A few even circumnavigated, such as Paul and Susan Mitchell, who rode out the big blow at anchor aboard their 58-ft Alden schooner White Cloud. Twenty-five years later, they're still out cruising. There were also happy endings for

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The Seattle-based Omega 46 'Grace' was one of the lucky ones. Supported by a sand berm, she landed upright, virtually unharmed.

at least four of the beached boats. The inherent toughness of the Vancouverbased Bristol Channel Cutter Vagabundo allowed her to sail again another day. By contrast, the light weight of the Santa Cruz-based Notorious, a three-month-old Olson 40, probably led to her surviving relatively unscathed, as she was tossed high up the beach. Perhaps the luckiest boat of all, though, was the Seattle-based Omega 46 Grace, which was washed ashore in a position which left her virtu-

ally undamaged. The same boat recently participated in the Baja Ha-Ha rally and may continue on next spring to the South Pacific. Although our informal survey at the time revealed that the vast majority of boats lost were less than five years old, very few of them were insured. Their owners were split about 50/50 on whether to find new horses to climb back up on — so to speak — or to simply hang up their spurs and abandon their cruising dreams. We'll bet those who picked up the pieces and started over are very glad they did, as the Cabo catastrophe of '82 was an anomaly of the cruising life, the likes of which has never been repeated. — latitude/at Readers — If you weathered Cabo's big blow of '82 we'd love to hear your recollections and see your photos. Write us at editorial@latitude38.com.

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• Page 133

SAUSALITO EYE ON THEMIDWINTERS BAY

hile many midwinter races this season have been . . . well, 'leisurely', Sausalito YC's second race in their winter series — held December 2 — was definitely on the sporty side. Consistent 20-knot southerlies combined with a strong ebb made for a choppy upwind start on the Knox course — when they finally started, that is. "One 'enthusiastic' division caused a general recall,"

Racers took full advantage of consistent southerlies in Sausalito YC's second midwinter.

noted SYC's newly inducted Race Chair Paul Adams. When the race finally started shortly after noon, sailors found smoother waters closer to the Little Harding windward mark. And though the gray skies may have threatened rain, they never delivered, leaving sailors dry, if a bit

chilly. Luckily, the action was spirited enough to keep their blood pumping. The two laps around the course ended on a downwind leg, treating spectators along the Sausalito waterfront to an eyecatching spinnaker finish, something the racers were also able to enjoy at the barbecue afterward, thanks to the club's unofficial videographer. "Shooting video is a great touch," said Synthia Petroka,

crew on Doug Grant's Hanse 342 Grey Ghost. SYC boats currently make up about 70% of the roster, but Adams would like to see more non-club boats join in the fun. In an effort to increase attendance, he pointed out that SYC will give any one-design their own start if they commit five or more boats to any series. "The winter series has been running for 27

years," he pointed out, "and we want to see it run for another 27." — latitude 38/ladonna DIVISION A HIGH (PHRF over 102) — 1) Lynx, Wyliecat 30, Steve Overton/Jim Plumley; 2) Gammon, Tartan 10, Jeff Hutter; 3) Carlene, Wyliecat 30, Fred Soltero. (6 boats) DIVISION A LOW (PHRF under 102) — 1) Racer X, Farr 36, Gary Redelberger; 2) Q, Schumacher 40, Glen Isaacson; 3) Wicked, Farr 36,

Richard Courcier. (6 boats) NON-SPINNAKER — 1) Roxanne, Tartan 30, Charles James; 2) Grey Ghost, Hanse 342, Doug Grant; 3) French Kiss, Beneteau 350, Dave Borton. (6 boats) J/105 — 1) Blackhawk, Scooter Simmons; 2) Lulu, Don Wieneke; 3) José Cuervo, Sam Hock. (5 boats) SANTANA 22 — 1) Tackful, Cathy Stierhoff; 2) Betty Boop, Donald Lessley; 3) Cloud 9, Jim Doyle. (3 boats)

PETER LYONS / WWW.LYONSIMAGING.COM

—— FLEETING TOUCHGLIMPSES OF GRAY

SAUSALITO EYE ON THEMIDWINTERS BAY

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• January, 2008

TOUCHGLIMPSES OF GRAY —— FLEETING

ALL PHOTOS PETER LYONS / WWW.LYONSIMAGING.COM

Seeing red (clockwise from here) — 'Tackful' bounced merrily through the chop; Bruce Nesbit had a full crew on 'Razzberries'; 'Chorus' was pretty as a song; 'Blackhawk' snatched first in the J/105 fleet; the racing was A-OK; riding the wave; Richard Courcier's crew played a 'Wicked' game.

January, 2008 •

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WILD RIDE TO WHANGERAI T

ake one look at Sereia and you'll know that Peter and Antonia Murphy aren't typical cruisers. The ornate trim on their Mariner 36 is painted in a kaleidoscopic array of bright tropical colors. Young, free-spirited and eager for adventure, they set out from Richmond, CA, in October '05 on a proposed circumnavigation. They'd already experienced plenty of highs and lows when Antonia discovered she was pregnant last May, while en route to the Galapagos. As you might imagine, the 3,000-mile trip from there to French Polynesia was pretty miserable for her, so Peter, a lifelong sailor, volunteered to singlehand to New Zealand while Antonia flew on ahead. His trip turned out to be a bit more challenging than he'd imagined.

and the waves that had been building all day really looked menacing. By 2200 it was blowing 25 knots, sustained. Rei-Rei was cooking along, but I knew I couldn’t hand-steer all the way to New Zealand. Luckily, it's simple to heave-to in Rei-Rei: you just roll up the jib, sheet in the main hard and turn the wheel in the direction of the wind. She’ll sit fairly well ay 1, 1400 — Raised anchor at A gray brown bubbly material, much like that in moderate seas. 0930 with no problems. I was anxious like concrete, remained in the bottom of So far it’s not so bad. I steer until I about the Taapuna pass but it was the pot. Good news, though, the stove get tired, then heave-to to nap and eat. fine. Had to mois definitely working Apart from the huge seas that sometimes tor through a lot crash into the cockpit, this is working better. "When the fatigue got to the of rowers and loout. When making way, we’re doing 6’s Day 3, last 24 hours: cal boats out to and 7’s. Even though I hove-to for several 129 nm — Big news! point where I was steering watch the surfhours I still made 129nm. The short of I’m fucked! Last night badly and I was starting to ers. Raised the it is, I’m changing course to the Cooks. at 2100 as I was lyunderstand Crowhurst's main just outside Only 400 nm, and then I’ll figure out ing down for a nap the pass and mowhat I’m going to do. Rei-Rei (Sereia) jibed. poetry, I had to stop." tor-sailed in light I leapt out of the rack Day 4, last 24 hours: 93 nm — Last SSW winds until and was on deck in a night was hard. I had been on the helm 1300 then set the main and jib, and let flash. I disengaged Cheeky and corrected for God-knows-how-many hours with'Cheeky' take over. (Ed. note: 'Cheeky course. Then I looked at Cheeky and out a break. The winds were still in the Little Bastard' is Peter and Antonia's noticed that he wasn’t moving right. I mid-20’s and I had been really ripping it nickname for their well-worn, secondchecked him out, only to find the water up with Rei-Rei: she had enough speed hand Monitor windvane.) paddle was gone. Not broken or dangling, to maneuver and dodge waves, sailing Day 2, last 24 hours: 131 nm — Great but gone. I just stood there dazed, then I great. I didn’t want to heave-to because sail first night! 15-20 knots off the port began to realize the horror: 2,700 nautithe seas were large enough that even quarter, and I didn’t touch Cheeky all cal miles of hand steering. I sat down on hove-to would be bumpy. When the fanight. Repaired the Monitor wheel atthe helm box and began to sweat. tigue got to the point where I was steering tachment this morning, as one of the Just then the wind started to pick up badly and I was starting to understand hose clamps had rusted and Crowhurst's poetry, I busted. had to stop. (Ed. Note: 15°S Then I had my first disasDonald Crowhurst was ter dinner, Campbell’s cream of Cook •Tahiti the infamous competiFiji • Islands Tonga mushroom soup. If I had just tor in the 1968 Golden • • neglected to add the water it probGlobe race who went Loss of Windvane ably would have been a hearty crazy and apparently Steering Paddle stew-like substance, but then I jumped overboard after 1st Windvane also went on deck and promptly writing lots of bizarre Fix Fails 2nd Windvane forgot about dinner. At first I poetry and other ramFix Fails thought the smell was an electrical blings.) 30°S fire. It was terrible. I lay Got SSB Email

•

•Whangarei

•

Working

Peter's Solo Passage: Papeete to Whangarei

180°E

45°S 165°E

150°E

— THREE CHEERS FOR 'CHEEKY'

ALL PHOTOS SEREIA

in the rack for about 45 minutes getting thrown up in the air as Rei-Rei was smashed around by breaking waves. I got up again and went bleary-eyed back to the wheel. The next four hours were really weird. I didn’t see frogs or hear children laughing, but I kept dozing off at the wheel, having split second mini-dreams about soft warm beds and my wife. Then I would lurch back into consciousness just before the jibe. This happened again and again. After four hours I was so off my rocker I hove-to again, hit the rack and was out for four and a half hours straight. While I was out the seas calmed, and I woke up refreshed and ready to do it again. Only 262 nm to the Cooks! Day 5, last 24 hours: 87 nm — "The sun will come out tomorrow. Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, there’ll be sun. . ." Christ! I’m starting to sing show tunes. The wind backed to the East last night, just enough for the main to blanket the jib, destination dead downwind. The evening became a game of keeping the jib filled, picking up speed and then bearing off back to course. Boy did that get old fast. The jib pole would have helped. Too bad it’s busted. Eating consists of running down below, grabbing something — anything — and running back to the wheel before the jibe. Ever try eating a dirty, raw potato? When motor functions and mental Although Rarotonga, in the Cook Islands, looks pretty inviting from this angle, Peter decided to push on without stopping.

Reunited in Whangarei. After falling in love in 2003, Peter and Antonia merged their dreams and assets, then set off around the world.

acuity drop below an acceptable level it is time to sleep! Period! Full stop! The tricky part is finding that "acceptable level." Day 7, last 24 hours: 55 nm — At about 2100 last night I was becalmed, no wind, nada. . . Rolled up the jib, sheeted in the main tight amid-ship and hit the rack for 8 hours. Woke up to a light 8 knots out of the northwest with flat seas. Set full jib and main, locked the wheel one spoke to starboard and haven’t touched the helm in many an hour. Day 8, last 24 hours: 54 nm — Rarotonga was a bust. Started the engine

about 0400, as I had been becalmed the whole night. Motored for 7 hours, radioed the harbor master about 10 times but received no response. Asked for a radio check and some guy answered, but he didn’t offer info about the harbormaster. I did a drive-by of the harbor — what a shit-hole. All my fantasies about communing with the locals to fabricate a new water paddle melted away. So. . . I bit the bullet and decided to pull a Moitessier. (Ed. note: French singlehander Bernard Moitessier probably would have won the Golden Globe Race, but after rounding Cape Horn he opted to continue on to Tahiti rather than head north to the finish line.) I took off the bow anchors and moved all 450 lbs of anchor chain out of the forward locker and stowed it under the salon table. Then I took all the weight I could find off the stern and bow and put it in the center of the boat, stowing it as low as possible. Sereia has picked up half a knot already. Then I set a course to Tonga, only 850 nm to go! Day 9, last 24 hours: 118 nm — My hard work from yesterday is paying off. Wind out of the southeast at 10-15 knots. Rei-Rei has never moved like this! The hobby-horsing is reduced, and she is cutting through waves rather than bouncing over them. I’m able to consistently steer with the sails for the first time: I can pick my course and carefully set the sails. First I set the main, then the jib so she is balanced just right, then I lock the wheel to the center line. Small corrections can be made with miniscule wheel moves. She swings 15-20 degrees either side of

WILD RIDE TO WHANGERAI course but hasn’t jibed yet. The track south and we’re from last night was definitely inebriated heeling over so far she was just about moving again. One but not drunken. stalled. I leapt out of the rack, donned of the three hose The one downside to moving the anmy foulies, and shot up on deck. I rolled clamps that holds up the jib and put a double reef in the chors and chain and fuel and air tanks Cheeky’s wheel asmain. Once I got her moving again under and everything else is that the only place main alone, I let out a little bit of jib and left on board for living is the nav-station, sembly on the helm we were flying — making 6 and 7 knots part of the galley and a small section of busted of f twice the main cabin to sleep. last night. The hose upwind. I knew the weight re-distribution clamps don’t seem The squall was out of the Southwest, would help, but Rei-Rei is like a different to be up to the job. I’ve put two new boat. 750 nm to Tonga!. "I’m not stopping! What ones on, but they Day 10, last 24 hours: 97 nm — Tough keep breaking. I night. The wind backed to the east and would I do there? Wait for hope the increased a chop came up, so I couldn’t balance good weather? Well, it’s pretty strain on the steerRei-Rei. I was up pretty much all night steering. But this afternoon I had a ing system that’s damned good right now!" break. I thought about the windvane, being caused by and figured out a way to fix it. Since the the jury-rigged wawater paddle broke off at the top weld ter paddle doesn’t just about where I wanted to go, but — it had been in a collision previously do any other damRei-Rei was doing great. With her new — the shaft that connects the paddle to weight distribution, she can actually sail age. Cheeky has the wind vane was still there. I took the upwind. I’m so proud. been over -steer shaft off and attached it to the center 0700 — The wind died at sunset, so I ing like a beginner motored. It had been a week since I last helmsman since board from our old Tinker sailing dinghy. ran the engine. After about three hours the paddle fix. Well, It took me most of the day to figure out I shut down the engine and went to bed. it’s either this or how to do it, but the epoxy is drying as Woke up every couple of hours to watch hand steer. I write this. If all goes well, in the next the boat go backwards at about 1-1/12 0350 — Raining, hour I’ll be napping and Cheeky Little knots, which was discouraging. Lousy wind died again, Bastard will be up and running. sailing, but great sleeping. doing 1.5 knots. 0630 — The first incarnation of the At sunrise the wind came up again, Man, this is going new water paddle lasted about 30 secand we were doing 3.5 to 4 knots to be a long trip. onds before it snapped like a dried bone. — which would have been 4.5 to 5 knots I took what was left, basically a hunk Day 15, last 24 without the head current. of epoxy and wood, and bolted on the hours: 67 nm — 2 knots, 3 knots, 2.5 What’s up with the current going the plastic centerboard from our Walker Bay knots, slogging, 2 knots. Very little wind, wrong way? Hope it’s just an eddy. sailing dinghy, Jackson Erl. shifting around the compass. Obviously, I’m out of the Trades. I’m heading a little It has been several hours since the Day 13, last 24 hours: 46 nm — Very more north, so hopefully I’ll pick them newest installation. Since then, I’ve had little wind all day. I’ve been fighting for up again. I have to work for every mile. a nap and it still seems to be working. every mile. Head current continues. Just 0040 — Well, that was exciting. At But I'm keeping my fingers crossed. started doing over 4 knots consistently. about dusk, Cheeky busted again. God Going to try to head back north a little Day 12, last 24 hours: 112 nm — Too broke the plastic water-paddle just below to see if I can pick up the Trades again. busy to write yesterday, as I was sleepthe bolts. So I resigned myself to handIt’s going to be a long journey if I keep ing and watching movies and eating and steering the rest of the way to Tonga. . . making 50-mile days. I haven’t seen one stroking my functioning Monitor windvane. It reminded me of Antonia saying, "I love our Monitor. It's like having another crewmember who I don't have to cook for!" The new water paddle is working beautifully. I had an exciting morning. At about 0430 I woke up with my Short-lived fix #1: The centerboard was bolted and epoxied onto Fix #2 incorporated the centerboard from a Walker Bay dinghy. It lasted five days before snapping in two. face against the the water paddle shaft — which a collision had weakened. contact since 50 miles out of Papeete. It’s bulkhead. The boat was heeled over with not! a big ocean. the port rail in the water. The wind was This is the first good wind I’ve had blowing in the mid 30’s with horizontal in days: SSE between 15 and 20 knots Day 14, last 24 hours: 96 nm — Firain and Rei-Rei — under full sail — was — perfect. nally, the wind came up from the Page 140 •

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— THREE CHEERS FOR 'CHEEKY'

the old one, not as much over-steering. Only 150 nm to Tonga, and I’m going to have to decide soon: Should I stop? I busted out the tools and fixed the Day 17, last 24 hours: 145 nm — The Little Bastard again, better and stronger Island of Eua is visible off the starboard this time. I’m getting used to hanging off bow. It’s the southernmost island in the the back of the boat in the dark, repairTonga group. I’m not stopping! What would I do there? Wait for good weather? ing broken shit. Well, it’s pretty damned good right now! I Day 16, last 24 hours: 110 nm — Had made 145 nm in the last 24 hours, and a good sleep and a big bowl of pasta, then that’s the best mileage yet this voyage. watched The Life Aquatic yet again. The Cheeky is working. I only have two main concerns. First, I don’t have good weather info for when I approach New Zealand. The second is that I have a slight discomfort in the right side of my groin area. It is intermittent and I’m taking it easy. But it does kind of remind me of a hernia. Anyway, if I need another hernia Fix #3, using the undamaged lower portion of the centerboard, lasted operation I’d certainly for the remainder of the trip. rather be in New Zealand than Tonga. wind continues to be perfect, 15 to 20 1230 — Woke to a change in boat knots out of the southeast; SOG 5 to 6 motion. Felt like a new wave train from knots. Cheeky seems happy, the shorter an island. Checked the chart and found water-paddle is functioning better than Peter arrived at Whangarei weary, yet elated. No doubt, 'Sereia's wacky paint job made her a standout in the anchorage.

I was 3.5 miles from a 40-meter sea mound. The bottom rose up from 1,600 meters to 40. I’m passing over a mountaintop and I can feel the change on the surface. Very cool. Day 19, last 24 hours: 100 nm — It’s been a mixed couple of days. The sailing’s been perfect, winds southeast at 15-20 knots with little chop or swell, beautiful puffy white cumulus trade wind clouds. Unspeakably gorgeous sunsets and sunrises. The downside is: something is up with my gut. I’ve been trying to lie down as much as possible, saving myself for the last couple hundred miles — when the gales hit. Only a little over 1,000 miles to go! Day 20, last 24 hours: 120 nm — Just crossed the International Date Line, very exciting. Heard some clear calls to Russell Radio. Rei-Rei has been great. She’s sailing herself, not putting too many demands on me. I’ve been contemplating changing course to the south a little more. I’d save some miles but sacrifice some westing. Haven’t decided yet. My gut feels the same, so I’m taking it easy, trying not to strain or lift heavy shit. What a joke. Day 21, last 24 hours: 117 nm — Great news! I used my voodoo to get the email working and got in touch with Antonia. So good to have some contact with her, even if it is just email. The SSB connection is shit so I don’t know if I’ll be able to contact her again, but she was able to send me some weather info and I grabbed some Grib files as well as a couple of text forecasts. Combined with what I’ve overheard on the SSB, all signs point south. I’ve changed course to almost due south to Whangarei. Cheeky is holding up, my gut hasn’t gotten any worse and I’m getting really hungry for some real food. Only 649 nm. Come on Rei-Rei, let’s fly! I just realized I have not seen a boat since Rarotonga, and that was a small motorboat. I hand-steered for over 500 miles and I never saw a tanker or anything. Granted, now that Cheeky is working I’m not on deck as much, but I still stick my head out every hour or so. I’ve gone over 2,000 nm without seeing a container ship, or fishing vessel, or cruiser. Day 22, last 24 hours: 130 nm — An east wind at 15 to 20 knots for over 24 hours has given Rei-Rei a nice lift. Only five more days and I get to see my wife. I must admit I’ve truly enjoyed this rite of passage, but I can’t wait to hold my January, 2008 •

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• Page 141

WILD RIDE TO WHANGAREI wife in my arms. I haven’t spoken to another human being in over 21 days. I don’t feel like a hermit or recluse but, then again, how does a hermit or recluse feel? I don’t miss people that much, although it would be nice to have a conversation with something other than inanimate objects. Day 23, last 24 hours: 142 nm — That east wind just keeps on blowing. I'm making much better time than I had anticipated, but I don’t want to jinx it. I’ve also been pressing Rei-Rei a little. I haven’t reefed in several days and there have been a couple of occasions when reefing would have been prudent. But Rei-Rei just leaned over and went faster. She is a great beam reacher. My gut feels better. I’m hoping that nasty little intestine has wormed back into place. It has been drizzling all day, exposing the many new leaks Rei-Rei has sprouted. It looks as though every port hole and window has a leak. Joy. Day 26, last 24 hours: 95 nm — Rei-

Antonia is a highly trained chef who typically makes fabulous meals aboard 'Sereia'. When Peter cooks, well. . . it's another story.

Rei and I have been getting some wind the last few days. The Gribs were right. Winds from the West at 25-30 kts. For the last few hours we’ve been closereaching as the wind backed slightly to the south. Most of the time it’s been a single-reefed main and one-third jib, doing between 4 and 5 knots. It’s been pretty bouncy. Down below is a complete wreck and most everything is soaked.

Every time I grab the winch handle I have a mantra I repeat to myself: "This is gold, this is gold, this is gold." It’s the only winch handle on board. The other one went in the drink when I was reefing on Day 2. Saw my first traffic in 24 days, a big commercial vessel coming out of Whangarei. The turning block for the control lines on the Monitor has busted — perfect timing really, I’ll be in port in 12 hours. Spotted Poor Knight's light, only 50 miles to go! Day 27, last 24 hours: 57 nm — By the time I’d cleared customs, I was exhausted, as I hadn’t slept at all the night before. When I stepped off the boat at the Town Basin Marina and into Antonia’s arms, it was pure elation. After 26 days, it felt so wonderful to have my arms around my wife. — peter murphy Peter and Antonia encourage you to check out their website: www.svsereia. com. The baby is due this month!

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EXPLORING THE A

bout 40 years ago, my good friend and mentor, Hugh Jacks, took his big yawl Altura on a cruise up the Mendocino Coast, the area north of Tomales Bay. The small, exposed coves there were once bustling hubs of activity during the 19th-century lumber trade, but are rarely visited by sea in modern times. Hugh’s purpose was to examine these little nooks and coves where the 19th-century lumber schooners loaded redwood timber to ship to San Francisco and beyond. He came back with a wealth of color slides which, when combined with old black and white photos, made up one of the most interesting programs I have ever seen. Ever since, I have thirsted to repeat his trip and recently accomplished a good portion of it in our little Aries 32 Misty. When the first Americans came to the Mendocino Coast in the 1850s, they discovered an astonishing wealth of timber in the magnificent groves of Sequoia sempervirens that grew along the Sonoma and Mendocino County coasts. At the time, there were no roads or railroads through the rugged country, so the only practical way to exploit the bounty was to locate sawmills on the coast — usually at the mouths of small rivers — and transfer the cut lumber to schooners at tiny, exposed anchorages often referred to as “dog holes.”

• Fort Bragg Mendocino • • • Little River

Misty’s

September Cruising Ground 2006-2007

Cuffey Cove

•

Point Arena

•

Fort Ross

Bodega Bay

San Francisco Bay (not to be used for navigation)

Since there were no wharves or piers, timber was loaded on anchored ships via an elaborate and ingenious cantilever Page 144 •

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• January, 2008

‘wire chute’ whose high end was rigged ashore, with the ship at the lower end. Bundles of timber were delivered via a

wire ‘high line’. Because the schooners had no auxiliary engines and there were no tugs available, an extraordinary degree of seamanship was necessary to maneuver them into position, then get underway again with huge loads of timber stacked below and on deck. Although the schooners eventually got small engines, then bigger and bigger ones (and their sail plans shrank accordingly), the degree of seamanship required to ply the dog hole coast was still extraordinary.

y first attempt to explore the dog hole coast began in early September of 2006 with my friend Dee Bowman of Mill Valley, when the winds were — supposedly — going to be light and the seas smooth. Armed with the large-scale chart (18626) of the coast between Elk and Fort Bragg, U.S. topographical maps of likely anchorages, and George Benson’s excellent little guide Cruising the Northwest Coast, we sailed out the Golden Gate and up to Drakes Bay for an overnight stop, then on to Tomales Bay in company with a small yacht club cruise fleet. Proceeding on our own from there, we stopped at Bodega Bay, then headed north about 20 miles in heavy fog to our first dog hole anchorage at Fort Ross. Except for the worrisome presence of a rock in the middle of the cove that’s shown on some — but not all — charts, the anchorage was mostly clear of kelp and smooth enough for us to row ashore in the dinghy to check out the historic Russian fort. A modest swell was coming around the point, so we set my homemade flopper-stopper from the spinnaker pole, which eased the rolling. The next morning greeted us with a much bigger swell running and a light but rising breeze, with everything shrouded in dense fog. We quickly decided that the conditions didn’t look good for our next

dog hole, Fisherman’s Bay, which we believed was probably too small for comfort. So we headed on up the coast for Arena Cove, arriving in the late afternoon.

o our dismay, we saw a couple of small moored fishing boats pitching and rolling wildly, and a pair of guys in wetsuits surfing . . . in the anchorage. We tried setting the anchor a couple of times in the indifferent protection of the cove, but the bottom seemed to be gravel and gave poor holding. Obviously, this was no place to spend the night, so with few other options, we started up around Point Arena and headed for Cuffey Cove, just above the little hamlet of Elk. By the time we arrived, it was almost sunset, the coast was again hidden by fog and, without GPS, I don’t know how we would have found it. Luckily, the fog lifted a bit just as we approached the shore. and we were able to identify some of the huge rocks guarding the entrance. We tried to stick our nose into a nar-

DOG HOLE COAST By midday, the sky had cleared, but the wind and seas were in full heavy weather mode. I had no way to accurately measure the wind velocity, but estimate it was at least 40 knots in the gusts which, combined with truly impressive seas, made steering a considerable chore and even overpowered our Monitor windvane at times. On a couple of occasions, we took sizeable seas over the stern which, though not dangerous, drenched the crew. We rounded Bodega Head at sunset and tied up to a battered fishing boat in the windswept harbor, thoroughly exhausted. We lay over at Bodega Bay for another day to let the wind die down, then headed for home via Drakes Bay, promising ourselves we’d try again next year.

he next attempt in mid-September, 2007, turned out to be a solo cruise — not by choice, but because my crew was forced to drop out with a bad back shortly before departure. As in the previous year, Misty joined a small yacht club cruise fleet to Drakes Bay and on to Tomales Bay. I laid over an extra two days in White Gulch near the entrance to Tomales Bay because of very windy weather, and barely got over the bar on the third day because of the swell that had built up. By the time I reached Bodega Head, it was obvious that it would be foolish to go farther into the face of the rising wind and the big confused seas and swell, so I entered “Blowdega Bay.” I spent two more windy days waiting out the weather, once Plying the North Coast, then and now. Above, a lumber schooner in a North Coast ‘dog hole’ gets loaded via a long wooden chute. Above left, ‘Misty’ at anchor in Little River. Near right, Dee Bowman enjoying lunch on the fantail in 2006. Far right, working a slightly busier fantail in the old days.

row portion of the cove known as Cuffey Inlet, but quickly saw that it was far too narrow, not to mention those surging waves going in and out. In the fading light, we picked out what appeared to be a safe spot in the middle of the main cove and carefully set the anchor, which fortunately got a good bite into the bottom. An uneasy night followed, with the boat rolling heavily and the wind piping through the rigging. We wondered if the iron men of old got as little sleep as we did on such a night. The next morning revealed a low, dark, gray sky, a big swell and a weather forecast of gale force winds with gusts to 40 knots and hazardous seas. We had little confidence in our present location, nor the planned next one, Noyo Harbor, 40

miles to windward. Even if beat ourselves up getting there, we had no assurance we could get over the bar. We decided discretion was definitely the better part of valor. We weighed anchor and turned south for the 65-mile run back to Bodega Bay.

again trying to imagine how many schooners had done the same in the old days. Finally, on September 20, the weather settled down, so I got underway for Fisherman Bay, a little dog hole about 12 miles north of Fort Ross. With

EXPLORING THE DOG HOLE COAST

some difficulty, I identified the little cove and cautiously entered to discover that the most sheltered part of the anchorage, the northwest corner, was choked with kelp. With sizeable waves breaking over the rocks, and rather skimpy shelter in the middle of the tiny cove, there was a strong temptation to leave, but I decided to anchor and stay. Despite the rolling and the noise of the breakers, it turned out to be a delightful spot in the afternoon sunshine. It occured to me that I might have taken a few more clues from Benson’s book, especially the photo that showed the author’s boat with a full panoply of anti-rolling devices deployed, including a riding sail, flopper-stopper on a spinnaker pole and a stern anchor. In the evening, I solved the noise problem by closing the hatch and turning up the volume of my Gilbert and Sullivan CD. How those old lumber schooners managed to get into and out of a place like this was hard to imagine.

he next morning I got underway early, intending to go 45 miles to the mouth of the Albion River, which was a dozen miles above Cuffey Cove — the farthest north we had gotten the year before. Except for some patchy fog, the weather was good with only a modest breeze, but there was still a big, confused swell running. By early evening, the sky was heavily overcast but the visibility was good, so I had little difficulty finding the buoy which marked the entrance to the river. I made my way into Albion Cove by passing uncomfortably close to Mooring Rock, which guards the entrance. The cove was nicely sheltered from the waves and swell, but was cluttered by that abomination of modern cruising: unused private mooring buoys. Still, it was a very picturesque spot with houses atop the cliff overlooking the Page 146 •

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Talk about iron men! — magnets must have stuck to the guys who sailed the lumber schooners in and out of dog holes in the old days. And they didn’t stop for something as trifling as winter. This is the four-master ‘Fearless’ heading upcoast in a blow with lumber piled high on deck. The last survivors of 900 ships that plied the lumber trade are the dilapidated steam schooner ‘Wapama’ (currently not open to the public) and the Maritime Museum’s ‘C.A. Thayer’ at Hyde Street Pier. The ‘Thayer’ also holds the distinction of being the last commercial sailing vessel to operate from a West Coast U.S. port.

anchorage and an impressive, very high bridge over the river just above the cove. I had seen an old photo of the huge sawmill on the level area just above the bridge which is nowadays just a trailer park. After a peaceful night’s sleep, I inflated the dinghy and went for a row up the river. Upon my return, I got underway for the next dog hole, Little River, 15 miles north. The big mixed swell from the northwest and southwest was still running, which made my exit from Albion (and the entrance past the rocks into the Little River anchorage) very exciting, but once inside, it was smooth. I anchored near the beach at Van Damm Park, which on a Sunday was covered with happy beachgoers and kayakers. It was a pleasant scene, but once again hard to imagine how it might have looked in the old days. By evening, the wind shifted into the south and it began to spit rain — not a comfortable situation considering there was virtually no protection from that direction. I moved out from the beach and re-anchored, then crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.

n the morning, there was only a light breeze from the northwest, but if anything, the confused swell was even bigger. I had planned to visit Russian Gulch — described in the Guide as “the

gem of the Mendocino Coast,” but when I arrived opposite the cove, the entrance was a frightening welter of big breakers. Perhaps I would have been bold enough to enter if I’d had a crew aboard, but honestly my courage failed me, so I decided to continue on to Noyo Harbor and visit ‘the gem’ on my way back. Noyo Harbor lies about a mile beyond the high bridge spanning the entrance, and is a delight with its setting along the high wooded banks of the Noyo River. The place is crowded with busy fishing boats and echoes with the barking of many wellfed sea lions. The weather was sunny and calm and several cruising boats were in residence, which made for a lively social scene. After two pleasant days, I started back, leaving the harbor early in company with a Coast Guard boat out on dawn patrol. But the blasted big, confused swell was still running high, and I once again cancelled my plan to try to get into Russian Gulch. I felt doubly humbled by the fact that the old schooners operated in all seasons with (in the early years) no engines, and here I was in the best season and had a handy little sloop with an auxiliary engine. By noon I easily entered Cuffey Cove. This time it was delightful, with sunny skies and only a mild breeze as I anchored off the rugged cliffs.

rom there, it was another day running before light following breezes to Bodega Bay, and one more of easy downwind sailing before I was back in the Bay. It had not only been a rewarding two-week cruise in itself, but a sort of trip back in time that gave me a vast appreciation of the seamanship of the sailors of those old schooners. — bob van blaricom

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PIRATES FOR PUPILS T

he first annual Pirates for Pupils Banderas Bay Blast more than lived up to its name, as the crews of 29 boats amicably went at it in ideal beating, reaching, and running conditions over a threeday period in early December. And they raised just under $3,000 doing it. The Pirates for Pupils was Having cheated death, previously a Commodore Eugenie autoone-day spingraphed the Punta Mita Yacht & Surf Club member- ny run from Punta Mita to ship cards. Paradise Marina just prior to the start of the Banderas Bay Regatta in March of each year. But with that latter event becoming part of Nautico Week, along with MEXORC and other activities, and with the Wanderer, who founded Pirates for Pupils, wanting to expand the event to publicize the wonderful sailing conditions and destinations on Banderas Bay, the P for P was moved to early winter. And to kick it up a notch, the Wanderer invited the Vallarta YC to become a co-sponsor, and to try to create a little buzz, make a feature of the event a supposedly 'bad blood' duel between Latitude's 63-ft Emiliano Zapata-based cat Profligate, sailing for the Punta Mita Yacht & Surf Club, and John Haste's Panama-based Perry 52 cat Little Wing, sailing for the Vallarta YC. The 29 participating sailboats ranged The Nayarit Riviera Marina management allowed 'pirates' to use the yacht club — even as its palapa roof was being put on it.

in size from Randy Hough's Black Cove 29 Sweet Lady in the Fun Class, to Dave Crowe's M&M 70 cat Humu Humu, but also included a couple of powerboats to prove that sailors don't discriminate. The overwhelming majority of the participants and boats were Ha-Ha veterans of the last several years, so many of the participants knew each other and were familiar with the 'nothing serious' culture. Making the fleet rather unusual was the presence of six big — 45 to 63-ft — cruising cats. It gave everyone a unique opportunity to see how very different the cats were in design and construction, and how differently they performed in the different wind conditions.

ico is that people aren't so risk adverse. For example, could you imagine the management of an unfinished 400-berth marina in the States allowing 29 boats and 100 crew in to mix with their 600 construction workers? Well, it wasn't a problem for Christian Mancebo, a partner in the Riviera Nayarit Marina, who not only welcomed the entire fleet with

o get away from the windward-leeward racing that has little appeal for most cruisers, the three 'races' were all to destinations rather than around the buoys. The first leg was a light air reach from just off Paradise Marina to the seven-mile distant Riviera Nayarit Marina at La Cruz. With Profligate having had a long history of getting drubbed in the light air first legs of Banderas Bay races because of her tiny headsail, the supercargo had the crew set the big asymmetrical chute from the leeward bow in order to try to sail as high as possible while still carrying that sail. He didn't care that this resulted in their pointing to the beach rather than the mark, he just wasn't going to be underpowered again. But it's better to be frustrated and lucky than good, as the big cat — the only one to hoist a nylon sail — was progressively lifted to lay the finish line by the narrowest of margins. One of the refreshing things about life in Mex-

Spread; Robin and Michelle Bendall, a couple of research scientists from Santa Cruz, and their daughter Melissa, in from Australia, head toward the Punta Mita finish aboard 'Warrior', their 50-ft German-built wood boat. Insets, clockwise from above; Jim Forquer's Cantana 52 'Legato' leads 'Capricorn Cat' and 'Little Wing' away from La Cruz. Peter Boyce gets a sweet kiss to celebrate his 75th. Jim Taylor of 'Sooner Magic' wants you not to miss the P for P next year. He ran over 700 races for the St. Francis YC in his day, and rarely saw Banderas Bay conditions on San Francisco Bay.

BLASTS OFF ON BANDERAS BAY free berthing, but threw a little beer bust amongst the workers laboring at the site of the to-be yacht club. Fortunately, the P for P folks did their part by not getting hit in the head by cranes, run over by cement trucks, or impaled on unmarked rebar. Recent progress at the marina, which has a beautiful location, has been swift, so it will probably be up and run-

ning by the time you read this.

f course, no sailor visits La Cruz without stopping at Philo's Restaurant and Bar. Philo Hayward is the guy from Mendocino who did the '00 Ha-Ha aboard his Cal 36 Cherokee Spirit, fell in love with La Cruz, but continued across the

Pacific to Vanuatu before selling his boat and returning. His drinks were cold and strong, the dinners were delicious, and the music was better than ever that night. The song of the evening was Happy Birthday, sung for Peter Boyce of the Manteca-based Sabre 402 Edelweiss III, who along with his crew had flown down just for the charity event. What's next on the 75-year-old's schedule? Put-

PIRATES FOR PUPILS

ting all his energy behind the cruisers' Zihua Sail Fest charity event at the end of January.

f anybody wants to understand the difference between a beat on Banderas Bay and a beat on San Francisco Bay, they should have been there for the 10mile second leg from La Cruz to Punta Mita on December 8. It blew 20 knots on Banderas Bay, as it usually does on San Francisco Bay, but there was no chop because there was so little fetch. Even more important, it was also about 35 degrees warmer on the course in Mexico, so nobody even thought of wearing foul weather gear. On some boats — we won't mention Capricorn Cat by name — there wasn't a t-shirt's worth of fabric covering the entire eight-person crew. The race was tactically interesting, too. Those who started by sailing the offshore tack quickly became toast, as the further they sailed, the worse a header they would have to tack back into. For those who hugged the north shore, the Page 150 •

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• January, 2008

goal became trying to clear the point while making the fewest tacks possible, but also without hitting any rocks on the relatively shallow and uncharted bottom. After some exciting port/starboard situations in about 12 knots of wind, the leaders of the fleet made it around the last rocky outcropping to find as much 21 knots of warm wind to play in. Despite some intermittent lulls and wind shifts toward the end, it was an idyllic upwind leg. Looking good approaching the Punta Mita finish was Jim Casey of Tahoe City, who celebrated a birthday of his own driving his Jeanneau 43DS Tomatillo across the line. He didn't reveal his age, but Doña de Mallorca said "he doesn't look a day over 49" to me. While the huge swell of the previous two days had mostly dissipated, there were still enough waves for some sailors to do some surfing not 100 yards shoreward of the P for P fleet anchored

Clockwise from top left; Rob and Tania Ritchie's beautiful Bristol 49 'Indigo'; Pirates — not 'pilots' — for Pupils!; the J/160 'Blue' on a beat; Katie, the most stylish pirate of them all; Jim Casey at the helm of 'Tomatillo'. Tim and Kim of 'Hawaii's 'Eau de Vie'. Wayne and Carol of 'Capricorn Cat'. Heather and Mary Forest of 'Cap Cat' give a safety demonstration at the end of the Punta Mita leg; Christian Mancebo of the Nayarit Riviera Marina. Bottom two photos: Tim Taylor on the high side of the San Rafael-based 'Sooner Magic', and Jan and Vivian Meerman of 'Capriccio' — who "blame" Latitude for their having so much sailing fun in Mexico.

BLASTS OFF ON BANDERAS BAY

at Punta Mita. Most, however, were just pleased that Rod, owner of the splashy new Swimmer's restaurant at the western end of Punta Mita's waterfront restaurant row, had arranged for pangas to shuttle pirates between their boats and shore. If you haven't been to Punta Mita for a few years, you'd be flabbergasted by the changes. One thing remains the same, however, and that's the location of the Punta Mita Yacht & Surf Club — although the club officers let Hector use the facility as Margarita restaurant the 363 days of the year when the club isn't using it. Not everyone was able to just kick back during the fiesta at the club. Commodore Eugenie Russell, who had cheated death by broken main halyard just the day before, was on a mission for January, 2008 •

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PIRATES FOR PUPILS charity. She patiently went from table to table, explained the purpose of the charity, and got most folks to throw in some extra pesos for the cause. But as per the club rules, she had to be firm with club memberships. Those who hadn't sailed to Punta Mita and/or who couldn't cough up the $1 in lifetime fees had to be rejected. Other big benefactors were Ronnie 'Tea Lady', who has been a mainstay of the P for P since day one; Mai Dolch of the Marquesas 56 Dolce Vita, who raised $300 on her own; North Sails Mike, who donated the T-shirts sold to raise money; and many others. The Yacht and Surf Club party was a great chance to spend time with old friends and make new ones. For example, it allowed us to catch up with South African friends Doug and Mary Solomon, who we'd spent some of the most laughfilled nights of our lives with in Antigua in '91 and '92. Now on a new-to-them wood Aige Nielson 63-ft Fandango, we hadn't seen these still-sailing-in-their70s folks in 15 years! Among the many new friends we met was Tim Dick, who

Heather 'I won't ever do retail again' Corsaro and David Addleman of the Cal 36 'Eupsychia' jumped their ship to become pirates.

owns the Beneteau 42S7 Eau de Vie on Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, and who started the Hawaii Superferry. Tim was there with his lovely lady Kim Le of Sausalito, who had come down to Banderas Bay to brush up on her sailing skills at J/World.

One nice thing about sailing events with 100 or so people is that after the second day, just about everybody knows each other, and it's like family. Most first-time visitors were impressed with Punta Mita. The shallow water anchorage could hold hundreds of boats, and the afternoon breeze is reliably offshore. In addition, there's often surf, there are good places to eat, the views of the point, the breeching whales and the four-mile distant Tres Marietas Islands are lovely, and the sunsets are spectacular. After a couple of P for P skippers briefly snuck off the next morning to join Philo for his Sunday morning motorcycle ride, most members of the fleet gathered at Swimmer's for breakfast. We're not sure how long it's going to last, but despite having the most attractive digs on the beach just a winch handle's throw from the dinghy landing, Swimmer's had the lowest breakfast prices, too. We're working with Rod, the owner, to explore the feasibility of providing regular panga service between the boats and shore. The

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â&#x20AC;˘ January, 2008

BLASTS OFF ON BANDERAS BAY restaurant also allowed Bill Finkelstein of the Santa Rosa-based Valiant 50 Raptor Dance to install the Latitude-donated wifi equipment to blast a wifi signal out to the anchorage. We were too busy to try it, but one user said that it not only worked, it was super fast. The last leg of the Blast, the traditional 12-mile P for P Spinnaker Run For Charity back to Paradise Marina, was about as mellow as could be, with just enough windshifts and lulls to keep things interesting, and enough wind to keep the boats at close to hull speed most of the time. That kind of sailing, with warm sunshine, surrounded by jungle and tall mountains, accompanied by dolphins, rays, and turtles, was hard to beat. Who won the Banderas Bay Blast? The 'bad blood' duel between John Haste's Little Wing for the Vallarta YC for Doña de Mallorca's Profligate for the Punta Mita Yacht & Surf Club, turned out to be a bust because the owners and crews of the two boats like each other too much for bad blood, and because Little

Wing, thanks to a mix-up with the diver, had a bottom as smooth as a shag run and couldn't get out of her own way. There's always next year. The real winners, in addition to the charities, were the owners and crews of the following boats that participated: Dolce Vita, Marquesas 56; Wind Trekker, F-31; Legato, Catana 52; Capricorn Cat, Hughes 45; Humu Humu, M&M 70; Little Wing, Perry 52; Profligate, Surfin' 63; Interlude, Morgan 382; Charissa, Liberty 45; Edelweiss, Sabre 401; Indigo, Bristol 49; Tomatillo, Jeanneau 45DS; Destiny, Catalina 42; Vinmar, Ranger 33; Warrior, Chance 50; Capriccio, Sabre 38; Capt. Geo Thomas, C&C 30; Bright Star, Jeannneau 40; J/World 80, J/80; Blue, J/160; Sooner Magic, Beneteau 47.7; J/World 120, J/120; Raptor Dance, Valiant 50; An-

As 'not very serious racing' destinations go, it's hard to beata scenic Punta Mita, at the northwestern tip of Banderas Bay.

dante, Mystery 35; Chere, Beneteau 46; Curare, Bowman 36, Sweet Lady, Black Cove 29; Paseitos, power; Vingaras Due, power.

ike having a blast while sailing and raising money for charity? Then load up for next year's Pirates for Pupils, to be held at the same place at approximately the same time. —latitude/rs

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• Page 153

SEASON CHAMPIONS, PART III — W

elcome to the third and final installment of our annual season champions feature. In the past two issues, we profiled the winners of HDA (November) and one design (December). This month — last but certainly not least — we introduce you to representative winners of the Wooden Boat Racing Association, the Singlehanded Sailing Society's (SSS) Singlehanded and Doublehanded season winners, the Wylie Wabbit champ and the Bay Area Multihull Association (BAMA) winner. We even have a few winners from a couple of the larger dinghy classes, the Vanguard 15s, as well as the El Toro Sr. and Jr. champions. With the ups and downs of various fleets over the years, it always amazes us when we get to this point in the Champions process and realize that fleets like the Knarrs, Folkboats, IODs, Birds — and indeed the El Toros — have been racing more or less continually for more than half a century! And while their numbers vary up and down like everyone else's, new people continue to be attracted to the fleets. It has certainly helped that most of the larger classes just mentioned allow fiberglass hulls. but, more to the point, these fleets showcase all that is good about sailboat racing: good organization, spirited competition, good, enduring designs and — most important — fun, knowledgeable, helpful people within the fleets. A perfect example is the El Toro family, which has nurtured more future champion sailors on our local waters than any other design. And continues to do so. From America's Cup skippers and round-the-world race winners Paul Cayard and John Kostecki to, most recently, 29er champion Max Fraser (and crew David Liebenberg), they all started in Toros. Not bad for a little plywood dinghy originally cobbled together by local sailors in 1939 as a yacht tender. All of which takes nothing away from the Optimist class, which has also been the first large stepping stone for future sailing champions. And the Opti fleet has grown rapidly in Northern California, once again boasting 40-some boats in 2007, making it the largest junior dinghy class in the Bay Area. We heartily congratulate the repeat winner, 14-yearold Lauren Cefali, for her 2007 season win. But this year, it's the Junior El Toro winner's turn for the limelight. Look for more on 'young gun' Patrick Tara's win in the following pages. The other 'dinghy' class in our endof-season lineup is the Vanguard 15s. Page 154 •

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• January, 2008

Started and based out of the Treasure Island Sailing Center since 1998, the V-15 fleet is one of the larger and more active of all local small boat fleets. They're so big they actually have season champions in two separate fleets: the 'regular' season champ, and the top team in their even better-attended Thursday evening series.

ver at YRA, while dwindling numbers continue to vex the one design and handicap divisions, the woodies (and 'glassies') of WBRA have maintained pretty well over the past few years. WBRA President Bob Thalman reports that 2008 numbers and classes will be about the same as last year, with around

55 boats spread over four classes: the Birds, Folkboats, IOD and Knarrs. It looks as though the latter — the largest WBRA fleet — may even get a new boat or two. (Still notable by their absence is the Bear Boat fleet. One of the larger of all YRA classes as recently as 10 years ago — and, at 60-some boats, numerically still one of the biggest local fleets — the Bears went into a 'hibernation' of sorts after some of the old guard retired from racing. Many boats remain active, however, and some new blood is coming into the fleet. Hopefully, they can put something together for a grand return to fleet racing in 2009.) There will be two big changes for WBRA fleets in '08. One is the move away

WBRA, BAMA, SSS, DINGHY, ETC.

from starts off race decks and the use of RC boats instead. The second will be the emphasis on using offset windward marks and leeward gates by clubs having the capability to do so. "We also will be asking clubs to use inflatables wherever they are able to," says Thalman. "Don Wilson and I will be modifying the WBRA SIs to include these course options." Bob credits the Knarr Class for making these requests, which it's hoped will clear up congestion at mark roundings in WBRA's short windward/leeward courses. If WBRA is maintaining well, the SSS fleet is positively exploding. 2007 marked the organization's 30th anniversary (it started in 1977, the same year as this magazine), and interest in the club, and in shorthanded sailing, has been

Nice Folks — The first Folkboat went sailing in 1942. Fleets are still going strong here in San Francisco Bay and Scandinavia. Don Wilson's 2007 Season Champion 'Windansea' is the blue boat at right.

steadily increasing. Last year saw 186 members and 340 boats racing SSS events, up 15% from 2006. The Society's Three Bridge Fiasco, with an amazing 297 boats last year, is one of the better attended of all events on the Bay — and it's in January. (Check out the website at www.sfbaysss.org to help them break the 300 mark later this month.) SSS Commodore Mark Deppe reports that most feedback to the club about their race program and excellent seminar series is, simply, "Keep doing what you're doing." But of course there's always room

for improvement. In that category for 2008 is replacing September's East Bay Estuary Race with a new course designed to avoid the heavy commercial shipping traffic in the Oakland Estuary. And, as a tentative step outside their racing-only mentality, "We're looking into an experimental ‘cruise-in’ event open to the SSS sailors, their friends, and families," says Mark.

inally, to the fleets and 2007 season champions not mentioned in this series, our sincerest congratulations and accolades. We wish we had the space to feature you all. Keep up the good work and perhaps next year it will be your turn to appear in these pages. January, 2008 •

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SEASON CHAMPIONS, PART III — Knarr Three Boys and a Girl

Folkboat Windansea

SSS Singlehanded Mirage — Black Soo 510-301-0319 *** 12/13

Chris Perkins SFYC and StFYC

Don Wilson & Sons Richmond YC

Ben Mewes SSS

Ever since he started in the San Francisco YC Junior Program back in the mid'70s, Chris Perkins has been a force to be reckoned with in fleets ranging from the family's first boat — a Rhodes 19 Chris's father bought from Joe Madrigali — to his latest weapons of choice, the J/105 Good Timin' and the Knarr #141 Three Boys and a Girl. With the former, he won seven season championships in a row, as well as the J/105 division at the last Big Boat Series. With the Knarr (named for the combined progeny of himself and boat partner Hans Baldauf), he won the 23-race, 5-throwout season, as well as the International Knarr Championships, an annual world championship of this 65-year-old class that rotates between host clubs in Denmark, Norway and here in San Francisco. Chris's Knarr roots go back even further than his junior sailing at SFYC. "I grew up in and around these boats back in the '60s, crewing for guys like Grant Sedelmeyer," he recalls. "So when Hans and I were looking around for a relatively inexpensive but quality club racer, the Knarr was an easy choice." They originally had a wooden boat, but changed to the less maintenance-intensive fiberglass Three Boys about 10 years ago. Chris, a CPA, attributes this year's win to the fine crew work of Baldauf, Hisham Sinawi and brother Phil Perkins. The 'other' season for Knarrs is their intense Wednesday night series. Sean Svendsen won that in '07.

After the birth of his second son, Daniel, in 1978, the doctor told Don Wilson — a Folkboat sailor since 1968 — "Now you have a whole crew." Little did he know how prophetic those words would be. In 2007, for the first time, Don, Dan and older brother David raced as a team — and won the Folkboat season championship. It was the first time for the younger Wilsons, and the second time for Don, who last won the same year Dan was born: 1978. The younger Wilsons did more than just crew. After shoulder surgery put Papa Don on injured reserve in September, Dave and Dan (with 'thirds' Tom Urbania and Martin Leivers) bulleted three of their last four races to get Windansea into the winner's circle. In fact, out of the 19 races that the Wilsons attended, Windansea took 12 firsts, 6 seconds and 1 third — that's right, they never finished worse than third! This is one of the top performances of the year in any class. And that's not all. With dad still sidelined by the healing shoulder, Dave helmed the boat to a win in the very competitive International Folkboat Regatta in September, beating masters of the game who came from as far away as Germany, Norway, Denmark and Sweden to compete. David also won the Folkie's longrunning Wednesday Night series out of St. Francis YC. We think it's safe to say that Windansea is the new boat to beat in this fleet.

Ben attributes this year's win of SSS Singlehanded Division to "finally learning how to sail." He's obviously being a bit facetious. But a talk by former Singlehanded (and Doublehanded) season winner Mark Halman really did start him sailing smarter. Ben has owned the 30-ft foot Black Soo (a hard-chined Van de Stadt design built in the late '60s) for 18 years, and worked with Carl Schumacher to make a lot of little tweaks to the boat. And he's done a lot of sailing, both on Mirage and Georgia, a 40.5-ft sloop (also a Van de Stadt design) that he sailed to Hawaii in the 2000 Singlehanded TransPac. But only recently has he really concentrated on constant sail trim as the boat sails on autopilot. And it's paid off. Ben says his biggest thrill this year was pursuing and eventually passing an Express 27 — a boat that gives him time — during last year's Singlehanded Farallones Race. "That was a real adrenaline rush," says Mewes, who was raised in Germany and immigrated to the U.S. in 1965. He currently makes his living as a contractor. Ben's good fortune in the sailing arena pales to that in real life. In October, he underwent surgery to open a blocked artery. Ironically, a fellow SSS sailor, Rob Mayberry (who crewed on Steve Katzman's Dianne), died of a heart attack that same day. "I'm the lucky one," Mewes says, extending his condolences to Katzman and the Mayberry family.

2) Lykken, Hans Williams/Rick Fisher; 3) Snaps III, Knud Wibroe. (18 boats)

2) Thea, Chris Herrmann; 3) Polperro, Peter Jeal. (10 boats)

2) Travieso, Ericson 30+, Dan Alvarez; 3) Arowana, Diva 39, Larry Riley. (29 boats)

Page 156 •

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• January, 2008

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Christopher Harvey BAMA

Kim Desenberg Richmond YC

This is the second year Matt (left) and crew Chris 'Lou' Lewis have won SSS's Doublehanded Division, and Matt says it was decidedly harder than in 2006. They not only had to finish every race, they had to do well in every race, right down to the homestretch when they were so close in points to Darren Doud's F-31 Roshambo that whichever boat won the last race (the doublehanded half of the Vallejo 1-2) won the season. As with a couple other close calls over the summer, Matt and Lou pushed the old C&C to victory. Their best race had to be the Three Bridge Fiasco, though. "We saw a lane of pressure outside at the start. Even though it was in adverse current, we gave it a shot — and ended up passing about 40 boats in 10 minutes," said Siddens, who works in the family cabinet-making business in San Jose. When not sailing with each other, both Matt and Lou crew on other boats. Locally, they are regular crew on Lani Spund's Kokopelli2. Farther afield, Matt recently returned from Florida, where he crewed on Tom Cassenberg's winning Melges 24 Flygfisk at the Key Largo Regatta, a tune-up event for this month's Acura Key West Race Week. Matt and Puddy Cat boat partner Charles Watt (who does some singlehanded races) have decided to "do something different" next year, so, after four years of fun, the 'Cat is up for sale. "If we end up with another doublehanded boat, we'll be back," says Siddens.

"My throwout was better than his," laughs Chris Harvey (center) of his first BAMA Cup win. The 'his' in this case refers to 2006 season champion Ross Stein on Origami. And the throwout situation went something like this: The BAMA fleet races a diverse 10race, three-throwout series consisting of three shorthanded events, two pursuit races, two ocean races, three interclubs — "and at least four good parties." Going into the last event, Richmond YC's Great Pumpkin Regatta in October, Harvey and Stein were tied for first place. Whoever won the Pumpkin would win the season. However, unlike most fleets who use the Great Pumpkin's 'serious' Saturday buoy races as season counters, the BAMA guys score only Sunday's pursuit race. When that was cancelled due to no wind, it became a 'forced' throwout — meaning everyone had to 'take back' a race they had planned to throw out and, as Chris says, his was better than Stein's. Chris's crew for '07 was Philip Jenkins and Scott Lemming. "I know everybody says it, but these guys are the reason we won. They're really good." Chris's best race was the Second Half Opener — they rounded the weather mark right behind an SC 52, and at the finish line, the only boats in front were other 52s and Melges 24s. The worst moment was the Vallejo Race, where Three Sigma was five minutes late to the start and finished third in division . . . by five minutes.

Old age and treachery are hard enough to beat, but when you realize that Kim Desenberg built all 63 Wylie Wabbits back in the 1980s, doesn't his 2007 win seem somehow, well . . . illegal? We're kidding, of course. Desenberg, who now works at KKMI boatyard, is one of the super good guys of the sport, and he had to work hard for every victory in this friendly-but-competitive fleet. Plus he's quick to defer any personal accolades to his crew John Groen and Terry White — as well as to the great conditions this year, great competitors in some races (and the absence of some of them in others) — even designer Tom Wylie for designing "a pretty neat little boat." One of the things that keeps this fleet so sharp is that many members sail regularly on other boats. For example, Tim Russell (Weckless) won the J/105 season this year. Bill and Melinda Erkelens (Jack) took third in the Moore 24 season. Desenberg himself races a Flying Scot in Inverness and won the Hog Island Race with Colin and Hilary Moore of Kwazy as his crew. All of which is not to say the Wabbit fleet is hurting. A dozen boats hit the line regularly, and the fleet got two or three new members this past year. As for that age thing, "I did turn 60 this year and don't know how much longer I can hold off the younger set," says Desenberg — "But Jim Malloy is still the oldest one in the fleet!"

2) Roshambo, F-31, Darren Doud; 3) Voyager, Beneteau 345, Steve Hocking. (31 boats)

2) Origami, Corsair F-24, Ross Stein; 3) Wingit, F-27, Ray Wells. (8 boats)

2) Weckless, Tim Russell/Rusty Canada; 3) Kwazy, Colin Moore. (12 boats) January, 2008 •

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SEASON CHAMPIONS, PART III — Sr. Solo Dinghy El Toro

Jr. Solo Dinghy El Toro

Two-Person Dinghy Vanguard 15

Gordie Nash Richmond YC

Patrick Tara San Francisco YC

Nick Adamson Treasure Island SC

Gordie Nash cut his sailing teeth about the same time as his real teeth. The son of sailmaker and Bay Racing grand dame Jocelyn Nash, Gordie went sailing long before he could walk, and by age 5 was helming El Toros out of RYC's Junior Program. He quickly ascended the ranks into big boats, but dropped out of sailing when IOR caught on, switching to competitive rowing. "By the time I blew out my elbows, IOR was on the way out so I started sailing again," says the affable Sausalito boatbuilder. He gravitated back to the Toros in 1990. "These boats are easy to learn but hard to master," he responds when asked what keeps him coming back. "With a boat this small, you really learn a lot about balance, sail trim, and how to feel the way a boat's going through the water — all great skills that transfer well to bigger boats." Gordie says a big part of his success in '07 was getting a lot of 'his' conditions this year: long weather legs, 6 to 10 knots of breeze and not many shifts. But with a deep pool of talent in the fleet, nothing's ever 'for sure'. "Throw in shifts, and Art Lange will win. If it's really light — or really heavy — Fred Paxton just walks away from the fleet," says Nash. When he's not sailing the 'Toro, Gordie can be found sailing his big boat, the radically customized Santana 27 Arcadia. How does he balance the two campaigns? "As president of the El Toro Fleet, I can schedule things. So far, there haven't been many conflicts."

Patrick, an 8th grader at Pacific Collegiate School in Santa Cruz, started sailing El Toros around age 5 with his father, Paul. "All I remember about the first time was being in the bottom of the boat crying that we were going to get run over by fishing boats," he laughs. He's come a long way since then, beginning serious racing in the Jr. El Toro circuit in '04 and having his first 'big' win at the 2006 Junior North Americans — where his father also won the senior division. But Patrick admits that victory was a hollow one since he was the only Junior that showed up that year. So he came back this year and won the three-race NAs with straight bullets — this time against 35 boats. He also won the season overall in the Junior Toro fleet. Much of Patrick's sailing education came from just hanging around the extended Toro family. Before he started racing, he'd travel to regattas with Dad and, while Paul was sailing, Patrick hung out on the crash boat and just soaked it all in. Or at weekend regattas like Clear Lake, he'd sit around the campfire at night and listen to Fred Paxton or Gordie Nash or Dave Vickland talk about sailing and the old days when there were so many boats that you could "walk across the lake without getting your feet wet." All of which made the finish of the last race of the NAs the most memorable moment of the summer for Patrick — as he crossed the finish line, Paxton gave him an extra-long toot on the horn for a job well done.

2007 was a good year for Nick Adamson (right) and crew Jago Macleod. Particularly the V-15 Nationals sailed out of the StFYC in August. Going into the last race, the duo's #891 was in second — but a full 12 points behind leaders Rich Feeny and Jen Hoyle. Nick and Jago got a decent start and finished third, hoping at best to retain second overall. But Feeny and Hoyle were learning the harsh realities of mistakes in a fleet as competitive as this one. They had a bad start and things went south from there. When the trophies were announced, Adamson and Macleod were blown away to learn they had won — by one point! That's pretty much how the rest of the season went for 891, as well. Lots of great competition, lots of hard-won victories — and their own share of lessthan-stellar performances. Fortunately, the V-15 schedule lists about 45 races, of which 23 are scored. So the more you do, the more 'throwouts' you can take — and the better your score. (Adamson and Macleod attended about 3/4 of the events.) Nick, a property manager, is no stranger to dinghies or tough competition. One of the original founders of the local V-15 fleet back in 1998, his resume also includes the 1996 Olympics in Lasers (he finished mid-fleet). A dozen boats competed for the V-15 season title. But an even bigger fleet, about 20 boats, did their Thursday Night series. Ken Turnbull and crew Rebecca Beard won that 'half' of the season.

2) Fred Paxton; 3) Art Lange. (32 boats; www. eltoroyra.com)

2) Mackenzie Cook; 3) Marina Fennell. (32 boats; www.eltoroyra.com)

2) Kevin Richards; 3) Ken Turnbull. (49 boats, 6 qualified)

Page 158 •

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• January, 2008

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MAX EBB "C

ancelled?" my foredeck crew gasped in horror. "What do they mean, cancelled?" "We want to race," moaned my assistant trimmer, new to the game. "The wind's only 20," chimed in our tactician. "What's their problem?" "Wimps!" cried a nearby older sailor who was dressed more for a formal dinner than for battling the elements. "Back in the day, it was up to the skipper to decide whether to race or to retire. I'll tell you, some of my best races were sailed under gale warnings." They weren't fooling anyone. It was a miserable day for sailing, and everyone, my crew included, was secretly delighted that the race committee had the good sense to call off racing for the day. "I'm disappointed too," I lied. "We haven't seen wind like this since summer, and here I am with my heavy crew all suited up and looking forward to it." My crew nodded in solemn agreement. Liars, every one of them. "So what are we going to do now?" whined my foredeck crew as another blast of wind and rain rattled the big plate glass window overlooking the harbor. We all moved a few inches farther away from the glass. "Can't we go out sailing anyway, just for practice? Besides, you have to get the boat home somehow." Tempting as it was to call his bluff, a soft chair in front of a fireplace seemed like the better call. "No, the boat's fine where it is at the guest dock," I said. "We'll do the winter beer can race next Saturday, since we're on this side of the Bay." "Well, okay then," the crew grumbled. He could have won an Oscar, the way he pretended to be heartbroken. "But I still think they should leave the decision to us, just like it says in the rule book." Relieved as I was to not have to race in stormy conditions, I did feel bad that my crew had dutifully shown up for a cancelled race. So I did the only honorable thing: "Let's have lunch," I announced. "This club has really good restaurant service. On me."

and, without waiting for an answer, led us to a table at which two people were already seated. One was the older sailor who, just a few minutes previously, had called the Race Committee wimps. But our count was off. Lee Helm, although she was crewing on another boat for this series, always has her radar set for a free meal. And the more expensive it is, the higher her receiver's sensitivity. She had somehow materialized at exactly the right time. After pulling over one more chair and squeezing in a little, we all had warm, dry and comfortable seats with a great view of the storm outside.

ax, your yacht club should totally have restaurant service, too," Lee suggested. "Look, they even put a picture of the Commodore's boat on the menu," said our new crew. "We could at least do the fancy menus for our barbecues," I said. "It's a great picture." "Thank you!" said the older sailor sitting across from me, who introduced himself as the club's Commodore. "Nice looking boat," I said. "Didn't you used to race YRA? We haven't seen the boat out there for the last few years." "Oh yes, I used to race almost every weekend, bashing around the Bay," he recalled. "But now I just do the midwinters, the Friday nights, and some of the special regattas. Better competition, more interesting courses, better parties. You know the drill." "Better competition on Friday nights?" I questioned. "The YRA fleet would love to have you back in the HDA division." "Yes, sometimes our Friday night races ar e quite a bit tougher than what's left in the YRA handicap divisions," he asserted. "He's right," agreed my tactician. "In some of the classes, it's getting so that all you have to do is show up for every race to win a season championship. Kinda takes the fun out of it." "But YRA entries are almost holding steady," added the Commodore's dining companion, who turned out to be the club's Race Committee Chair. "The long-term trend is pretty bad," said Lee. "Especially if you look at actual race

Everyone was secretly delighted the race was called off.

e weren't the first crew to have that idea, and the yacht club's restaurant was at capacity. "Do you mind sharing a table?" asked the hostess as she handed us menus Page 160 â&#x20AC;˘

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participation instead of entries," added the tactician. "YRA isn't circling the drain yet," said Lee, "but it will be in a few years at the rate it's going." "On the other hand," countered the Commodore, "If you count everything outside the YRA format, sailboat racing is booming here on the Bay." "For sure," said Lee. "Like you say, it's the weekend club regattas, beer can races, midwinters, ocean races, Big Boat Series and other wacky special events that have all the market share." "So where do you think YRA should go from here?" I asked. "Do we even need it?" "We sure do," the tactician answered quickly. "It serves a number of critical functions: Permanent racing marks, Appeals Committee, liaison with the Coast Guard for regatta permits, support for entry-level racers and so on. We don't want YRA to go away."

— CAN'T HIDE THOSE LYIN' EYES

Making the YRA a membership-based organization, and reshuffling the fleets, could potentially reenergize Bay racing, offering more opportunities for more sailors.

"Of course not," said the Commodore, "but YRA has to change with the market. For too long, they've been trying to turn back the clock to the '60s and '70s when we had large fleets of production cruiserracers that made up the bulk of the YRA divisions. The boats being sold today are different, with the fleets polarized more into cruisers that aren't set up to race, and single-purpose racers that are hard to cruise. We just don't have the numbers interested in the YRA style of weekly Bay racing. I hate to say it, but I think YRA is at the end of a 40-year experiment." "What was the experiment?" I asked. "Consolidating regatta race instructions into a consistent series, and taking de facto sponsorship away from the clubs," he answered. "But without those affordable cruiser-racers being sold in

large numbers, the YRA paradigm has become less viable." "No, it's not just the kinds of boats," said the Race Committee Chair. "The racers are aging too. All the kids are windsurfing or kiteboarding." "So what's YRA supposed to do about it?" asked my novice crew.

ere's my plan," said the RC Chair. "For the last few decades, YRA associations have been organized around boat types — one-design, handicap, woodies, multihulls. There was always some tension within each group as to the types of courses and schedule they wanted: One race per day versus two, long or short courses, Central Bay only, North or South Bay included in the season or not, Vallejo counts or doesn't count, and so on. So for most of the entrants, the YRA season is a compromise. Add that to what happens as YRA participation

shrinks. We have an RC out there all day for just 20 boats in the handicap association, with only a couple of boats in some of the starts. Then another club runs almost exactly the same thing for one-designs." "I think I see what you're getting at," said my foredeck crew. "But if you try to combine the race management resources, even fewer racers would get the courses and schedules they want." "Unless," said the RC Chair, "we reshuffle the fleets by the sort of races they want instead of by the type of boat or type of handicapping." "You mean, do away with the Charter Associations?" I asked. "That will be a tough sell. The association level is where the racers have some say in how the races are run." "The associations would still be in control, but the membership would reshuffle. For example, fleets that wanted all two-race or three-race days on the Cityfront or Knox courses would be in one association. Probably woodies and some of the more high-pressure one-designs. Fleets that wanted only one race per day and longer courses, including North and South Bay, in the schedule would opt for a different association. This would probably include handicap divisions and most of the older one-design classes with small fleets." "What about the Party Circuit?" I asked, passing the wine list to my tactician so he could make the right call. "That's the only thing that kept YRA alive last season," said the Commodore. "Party Circuit seems to appeal to all those new cruisers with no racing sails and rough bottoms. I think it's because the long point-to-point races throw in so much luck, good or bad, that a slow boat sometimes comes out on top. Or at least they have the illusion that they can come out on top if they get lucky." "The Party Circuit fleet would fall into the new 'Destination Race' category," explained the RC Chair. "We could put together a great season for them, including Vallejo, the Point Bonita part of the second half opener, maybe a weekend to Coyote Point and back, maybe Jazz Cup if we can talk them into making it a YRA event, or Martinez or Antioch if we can't. The multihulls would probably go for the Destination Race schedule also, at least the ones I've talked to." "Singlehanders would fit into that destination category, too," I suggested. "What happens to the ocean racers?" asked the foredeck. "No change there," said the RC. "They're already properly segregated January, 2008 •

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MAX EBB from the rest of YRA." Lee was uncharacteristically quiet through this discussion, speaking up only to order the lobster bisque and the poached salmon when orders were taken. That's when I noticed she was scrawling something with a heavy black marker on the back of the menu, blotting out most of the printing. "Lee, what are you working on?" I finally asked. "It's, like, almost done," she said as she drew a few more lines and arrows as we waited for an explanation. "Finis!" she finally announced. "The new YRA."

ee had produced a chart showing exactly how the YRA associations could be reorganized. "I call them YRA-1. YRA-2 and YRA-3 for the three different styles of closedcourse Bay racing. Then there's the Destination Race series for Party Circuit, multis and shorthanders, and the Ocean Series left as is." "Yes, that's about how I imagine it would look," said the RC Chair.

"I also have a list of the various types of boats that would likely opt in to each of the race formats," she explained. "With circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one explaining what each one is," joked the Commodore,

"YRA needs to become a membership organization, like US Sailing." but the '60s music reference was lost on Lee. "I think this could work," added the RC, "because it allows the Charter Association to stay pretty much intact. No political skin off anyone's back to reorganize the racing around this system."

ell, it's nice in theory," pronounced the Commodore, "But I have a completely different plan."

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"Your reorganization plan still assumes that people will continue signing up for the YRA seasons," said the Commodore. "The market trend is in the other direction, and I'm not convinced this would reverse the trend, even if more of that silent majority of cruisers do go for the Party Circuit. It won't be enough. And the problem with the Jazz Cup is typical. Why should a club that already runs a popular event give up its entry fees?" "So, is this a fallback plan for when YRA goes under?" asked my tactician. "It's a major transformation," he said. "What I think YRA needs to do is become a membership organization, more like US Sailing. Anyone who races on the Bay should be a member. But Instead of trying to beat the dying horse of YRA season participation, let's concentrate on YRA's more general roles and stop worrying about it. YRA could get out of the business of writing sailing instructions, taking entries, and scoring races." "What's left? And why would anyone join?"

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— CAN'T HIDE THOSE LYIN' EYES get a $35 certificate when it only took five seconds for the office to write '134' at the few years ago," my tactician reminded bottom of the form." "People would join to support the him. "Didn't work at all. I was running "The other problem," said the RC functions that benefit everyone: Racing Chair, "is that PHRF is marks, PHRF Commita committee of HDA, tee, Appeals Committee, YRA CHARTER ASSOCIATIONS BY RACE TYPE and YRA has no direct Coast Guard relations YRA-1 YRA-2 YRA-3 PCYRA OYRA control." and schedule coordina(HDA) (ODCA) (Woodies) (Party Circuit) (OYRA) "That is a sticking tion." •Buoy races •Buoy races •Buoy races •Point-to-point •Ocean point," admitted the "It's going to be a •Long courses •Shorter courses •Shorter courses courses courses Commodore. "But there tough sell," I said, "if •Main Bay+* •Main Bay+* •City, Knox, Circle •Parties •Full season are solutions to both a YRA membership •1 race/day •2 races/day •2-3 races/day •Short season problems." doesn't include any race •Full season •Full season • Full season+ "For sure," Lee interentries." LIKELY PREFERENCES FOR BOAT TYPES rupted. "The PHRF fee "Yes, but YRA's costs structure should be, go way down as well. We •One-design: YRA-1, YRA-2, YRA-3, PCYRA, OYRA like, two-tier. I mean, •PHRF: YRA-1, YRA-2, PCYRA, OYRA need a hook, like tying •Woodies: YRA-3 that Santana 22 should YRA membership to the •Multihulls: PCYRA, OYRA only have to pay $5 for PHRF certificate. US •Measurement Classes (IOR, IRC, IMS, etc.): YRA-1, PCYRA, OYRA processing a known Sailing did something •Singlehanders: PCYRA, OYRA one-design rating, but like that several years like, a one-off Rub-aback with that insur* City, Knox, Circle, Southampton, T.I. and possibly one North & South Bay per season. dub 32 should pay $75 Note: "Full season" is 10-12 race days, "Full season+" is 14-20 race days. ance deal and the entry for a rating that makes discount, and it worked my club's beer can series at the time, and the PHRF Committee sit around eating great. If we can get local sailors to think I could not, in good conscience, make pizza for an hour figuring out what to do that it's more important to be members some poor guy with a Santana 22 who with them." of YRA than US Sailing . . . ." wanted to try out racing for the first time "My numbers were $10 and $100," "They tried that PHRF-YRA linkage a

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MAX EBB said the Commodore, "but you've got the idea." "Do you really think you can make people pay $100 for a PHRF certificate?" I asked. "If they have a one-of-a-kind, what other option do they have?" he responded. "The club race committees have no other way to rate if they can't look up a sistership. If they can look up a sistership, then the rating doesn't need committee action, and it should be issued at the cheap rate." "Tell me again how this is going to make people sign up for YRA, when there are no YRA races to enter?" asked my new crew. "YRA membership will be inexpensive, and it will be part of a PHRF certificate. Or rather, YRA membership will be required to get a PHRF rating." "HDA will never go for it," said my foredeck crew. "And PHRF is a committee of HDA." "That's the evil part of my plan," whispered the Commodore. "The way entries are shrinking, there won't be an HDA in a few years. Control of PHRF defaults to

YRA, which is where it should be, and then we can tie YRA membership to it. As long as membership is inexpensive, I think we can pull it off. But to keep it inexpensive we have to pull way back on

ond string" RC people to do that job. But the conversation moved elsewhere. "Would your proposal mean, like, no more YRA season champs?" asked Lee. "I agree with Lee," added my foredeck crew. "What's the point, if you can't get your mug in the rogue's gallery at the end of the season?" "Fleets would still be free to define a YRA season by picking and choosing from the various club events. Some of the one-design fleets already do that. YRA could still award trophies. The difference is that racers would have to enter the events that comprise their series on their own."

"Why do you think Vallejo is still going strong after 107 years?" actual race management functions. Let the YRA members choose their own mix of races to sail every year, and get YRA out of the race management business." I was about to say something but he cut me off. "I know, races are officially sponsored by clubs, not by YRA, but in practice it's YRA's show, with the big clubs sending their second-string volunteers." Since I had helped run a YRA race or two myself last season I wasn't sure if I agreed that most clubs send their "sec-

ood arrived, and that kept everyone quiet for a while. "That would solve the problem of getting Jazz Cup included in the Party Circuit," remarked the foredeck crew through a mouthful of rare steak. "And

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— CAN'T HIDE THOSE LYIN' EYES Vallejo YC would finally be able to collect entry fees to pay for those flags," added the Commodore. "But it would end up costing us all a lot more in entry fees, when you add it all up." "Still much less than a new sail or a bottom job," Lee pointed out as she sipped her lobster bisque. "It costs money to put on good events, and I think it's better when racers, like, pay directly for good race management instead of having to put up with advertising and races being distorted in ways that please the sponsors instead of the sailors."

ell, your plan might be where we end up in the long run," said the Race Committee Chair, "but YRA isn't in that much danger of going under with the basic structure it has now. Party Circuit is what will keep it afloat, I think, as long as they stick to the destination race

format. That's the best example of following the market instead of trying to sell something that people aren't buying." "Except that they're totally doing it wrong for next season," said Lee. "How so?" I asked. "The end-of-season weekend race is, like, back to the same old YRA format. I mean, look how few boats showed up for the second day of Second Half Opener last year. Get a clue, guys! The Party fleet wants point-to-point races, not round the buoys. Why do you think Vallejo is still going strong after 107 years?" "We did try to get Jazz Cup in the party circuit," said the Commodore. "Here's how to fix that end-of-season event," said Lee, now well into her salmon. "Start the first race of the weekend down by the Estuary. Maybe even off the south shore of Alameda. The first race finishes off Corinthian, and the second race is a normal buoy race. Then on Sunday, the last race finishes over at Berkeley or Richmond, or back down in the South Bay."

"It would make the crews much more likely to stay on their boats that night," noted the foredeck crew. "and that's what really makes a good post-race party." "It's not too late!" Lee warned. "You can still turn that end-of-season weekend into a destination race, save the season for the Party Circuit, and save YRA as we know it." "Interesting concept, and it might work," said the RC Chair. "I'll bring it up at the next meeting." "Just don't make us all pay separate fees for each event on the YRA schedule," I said. "Campaigning a race boat is already expensive enough as it is." "But entry fees are such a small part of the cost of racing." said my tactician, "Think of it as a market adjustment." I was all set to argue that YRA race fees were already too high and that this was one of the reasons that entries were declining. But then a small tray holding the bill for our lunch was placed on the table in front of me. It was more than my YRA entry fee for the season. — max ebb

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THE RACING Happy 2008! In this first Racing Sheet of the new year, we report on a win of the warm, sunny Key Largo Regatta by some sailors from the cold, rainy Bay; check out what's going on at GGYC's Manny Fagundez Seaweed Soup Regatta (and list box scores for all the other Midwinters we could find), introduce you to an inspiring woman with a great idea for a new regatta, take you back to those thrilling days of yesteryear — and tomorrow — with a look back and forward at Ragtime and the reborn Tahiti Race, go Down Under for a report on Rosebud's win of the Rolex Trophy, and finish off with a mess of race notes from far and wide.

SF Boat Wins Inaugural Key Largo Event Tom Kassberg is a sailor who likes competition. When the former owner of the J/105 Walloping Swede started looking around for a new ride, he wanted something a bit easier on the wallet, but just as competitive: voila — the Melges 24! Seadon Wijsen just happened to have the battle-tested #525 up for sale and the deal was done. And you want competition? — Kassberg's first formal race in the boat was last summer's Fullpower Melges 24 Worlds, sailing against the likes of Shark and Philippe Kahn, Brian Porter and eventual winner Dave Ullman. Flygfisk — 'flying fish' in Swedish — finished about midway down the 58boat roster, and Kassberg was if anything even more fired up than before. Fast forward to sunny, warm Florida last month, when Kassberg and his Bay Area crew, Guy Rittger, Andrew Whittome and Matt Siddens wowed the locals with a surprise win at the first-ever Key

part in the seven-race, one-throwout regatta, with Tampa's George Haynie leading after the first day's 15-knot conditions. With Sunday winds up a bit and gusting into the mid-20s, Flygfisk reveled in the more Bay-like (but lots warmer) conditions, coming back from an over-early in the last race to take second, but two points ahead of Haynie to take the overall win. "We entered mainly to tune the boat up for Key West," says Kassberg, a biotech engineer. "But it was sure a nice surprise to win it." He doesn't expect to show quite as well when the 'big dogs' of the fleet gather again at Acura Key West Race Week January 21-25. But he says he'll have fun just the same. In fact, Kassberg has liked the whole southern experience so much that he's contemplating racing on both coasts next year. He'd leave Flygfisk on the Eastern seaboard, trailering the boat to events like the Melges 24 Nationals in Charleston, and the NAs in Annapolis. At the same time, he hopes to charter a local boat to sail with the San Francisco fleet. Sounds like the best of both worlds to us. 1) Flygfisk, Tom Kas-

CRIS SANDIFER

senberg, San Francisco, 9 points; 2) Firewater, George Haynie, Tampa, 11; 3) Cre83, Cary Siegler, Miami. 20. (9 boats)

'Flygfisk' crew (l to r) Andrew Whittome, Tom Kassberg, Guy Rittger and Matt Siddens. Next stop, Key West!

Largo Regatta, sailed out of the Upper Keys Sailing Club December 8-9. Nine boats, most from Florida, took Page 166 •

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Berkeley YC Midwinters "I still can't believe how mild and gentle the whole weekend was," says Race Chair Bobbi Tosse of BYC's first Midwinter Race weekend on December 8-9. "It was even almost warm." Seventy-eight of 95 sign-ups showed up Saturday on the Berkeley Circle to

sail the 8-mile double windward-leeward course — which, as the day wore on and the breeze turned to zephyrs, was apparently a tad too long. When the zephyrs turned to about 3 knot 'breaths', the RC scooted down to the leeward mark and ended the race to finish everyone before it died completely. Sunday saw 29 of 42 entries arrive for some fun. And again, despite a forecast for 20 with gusts to 30 from the north — a gentle southerly ushered in the starts. It promptly shifted west after that, allowing most boats to easily lay the weather mark in one tack. "No crashes, no injuries, no broken boats," reports Tosse. "Just lovely sailing — as long as you weren't in much of a hurry." SATURDAY DIVISION A — 1) Bodacious, Farr 40 1-ton, John Clauser; 2) Sleeping Dragon, Hobie 33, Dean Daniels; 3) Relentless, Sydney 32, Arnold Zippel. (9 boats) DIVISION B — 1) Backatcha Bandit, Thompson 650, Ben Landon; 2) (no name), Ultimate 24, Peter Cook; 3) Baleineau, Olson 34, Charles Brochard. (7 boats)

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sion, SC 27, Rick Gio; 2) Dianne, Express 27, Steve Katzmann; 3) Kwazy, Wylie Wabbit, Hillary Hanson. (5 boats) DIVISION 3 (PHRF 147-168) — 1) TMC Racing, J/24, Michael Whitfield; 2) Froglips, J/24, Richard Stockdale; 3) Chesapeake, Merit 25, Jim Fair. (5 boats) DIVISION 4 (PHRF >171) — 1) Latin Lass, Catalina 27; 2) Antares, Islander 30-2, Larry Telford; 3) Rascal II, Pearson Triton, Norman Thomas. (5 boats) CATALINA 22 — 1) No Cat Hare, Donald Hare; 2) Dumbo, David Torrisi, 3) Brainstorm, Terry Cobb. (6 boats) ULTIMATE 20 — 1) Babe, Phil Kanegsberg; 2) Breakaway, John Wolfe. (2 boats) *Note — BYC's Saturday and Sunday series are scored separately. For complete results, see www.berkeleyyc.org.

Above, Kassberg's Commandos race the azure waters off Key Largo. Right, chuting the breeze at the almost-as-balmy (not!) Berkeley Midwinters. DIVISION C (PHRF 120-168) — 1) Chesapeake, Merit 25, Jim Fair; 2) 1st Impression, SC27, Rick Gio; 3) Andiamo, SC27, Pancho Blanco. (5 boats) DIVISION D (PHRF >171) — 1) Can O' Whoopass, Cal 20, Richard Van Ehrenkrook; 2) Ypso, Cal 2-27, Tim Stapleton; 3) Tappo Piccolo, Cal 20 (modified), David Bacci. (6 boats) EXPRESS 27 — 1) Motorcycle Irene, Will Paxton; 2) Moxie, Jason Crowson; 3) Xena, Mark Lowry. (13 boats) J/24 — 1) Phantom, John Gulliford; 2) Froglips, Richard Stockdale; 3) TMC Racing, Michael Whitfield. (5 boats) MOORE 24 — 1) Gruntled, Simon Winer; 2) Blister, Matt Johnson; 3) Topper II, Conrad Holbrook. (6 boats) NEWPORT 30 — 1) Achates, Robert Schock; 2) Harry, Dick Aronoff. (2 boats) OLSON 25 — 1) Synchronicity, Steve Smith; 2) Shadowfax, Mark Simpson; 3) Samba, Bob Gardiner. (8 boats) OLSON 30 — 1) Hoot, Andy Macfie; 2) Naked Lady, Jeff Blowers; 3) Voodoo Child, Charles Barry. (10 boats) ULTIMATE 20 — 1) Babe, Phil Kanegsberg;

2) UFO, Trent Watkins; 3) Layla, Tom Burden. (4 boats) SUNDAY DIVISION A (PHRF 0-99) — 1) Hoot, Olson 30, Andy Macfie; 2) Wraith, Olson 30, Ray Wilson; 3) (no name), Ultimate 24, Peter Cook. (6 boats) DIVISION B (PHRF 102-144) — 1) 1st Impres-

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CRIS SANDIFER

Manuel Fagundes Seaweed Soup Regatta Oh the irony of it all. Golden Gate YC's 37th Annual Manuel Fagundes Seaweed Soup Regatta series was supposed to get underway on November 3. But there was no wind so it was cancelled. The following week, a freighter ran into the Bay Bridge and spewed oil all over the place, and both racing and recreational sailing all over the Bay screeched to an abrupt halt for two weeks. . . But that was then. As if someone had thrown a celestial switch, the segue from November to December could not

THE RACING

have been more dramatic. On December 1, the breeze was back, the water pronounced clean, the skies sunny — and the 68 boats in 8 divisions were ready to finally kick off GGYC's midwinter series. Winds in the 10-12 knot range ushered the fleet around a flat central Bay. Among the better performances of the Page 168 •

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Scenes from the 'Seaweed (clockwise from above) — 'Mr. Magoo' on the run; Santa in training for the big sleigh ride; 'Bessie Jay' crew on high alert; (inset), 'Shaman' on the way to a Division win.

day, ICs kicked some tail in the PHRF 5 Division, with Youngster, La Paloma and Whitecap taking first through third in that order. Include the Thunderbird Crazy Jane in fourth and let's hear it for

the classics, which beat out an eclectic group of Santana 22s, Catalina 30s and a J/24 or two. The remaining Seaweed Soup Regattas are scheduled for January 5, Febru-

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SHEET

ary 2, and March 1.

DIVISION 1 (PHRF <45) — 1) Alpha Puppy, 1D35, Mark Witty; 2) Howl, Sydney 38, Peter Krueger; 3) Summer Moon, Synergy 1000, Joshua Grass. (10 boats) DIVISION 2 (PHRF 46-69) — 1) Mr. Magoo, J/120, Steve Madeira; 2) Q, Schumacher 40, Glenn Isaacson; 3) Quiver, N/M 36, Jeff McCord. (9 boats)

DIVISION 3 (PHRF 70-110) — 1) Jam Jam, Melges 24, Neil Ruxton; 2) Yucca, 8-Meter, Hank Easom; 3) Tivoli, Beneteau First 42S7, Torben Bentsen. (11 boats) DIVISION 4 (PHRF 111-136) — 1) Shaman, Cal 40, Steven Waterloo; 2) Arcadia, Santana 27, Gordie Nash; 3) Lazy Lightning, Tartan 10, Tim McDonald. (7 boats) DIVISION 5 (PHRF >137) — 1) Youngster,

IOD, Ron Young; 2) La Paloma, IOD, James Hennefer; 3) Whitecap, IOD, Henry Hernandez. (11 boats) CATALINA 34 — 1) Crew’s Nest, Ray Irvine; 2) Wind Dragon, Dave Davis; 3) Obsession, Lee Perry. (9 boats) KNARR — 1) 134, J. Eric Gray; 2) Narcissus, John Jenkins; 3) Benino, Mark Dahm. (6 boats) FOLKBOAT — 1) Windansea, Don Wilson; January, 2008 •

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THE RACING

New Regatta Set for June 28-29 Excuse our Greek, but 2006 was a hell of a year for Natalie Criou. Among the good: she bought the Express 27 Elise and joined the local fleet. Among the bad, a boat she was helping deliver back from Hawaii after the Pacific Cup (Nick Barran's 40-ft Mureadritta XL) was rammed and sunk by whales. A couple months later, in September, her OB/GYN called to tell her she had a tumor. It was eventually diagnosed as a rare type of sarcoma. What followed was the nightmare that Natalie — like most of us — had previously only read about: half a year of fear, pain, illness, self doubt and depression. Natalie has emerged into the light at the end of that long tunnel with her life and her health (although her treatment regimens are not yet over, she is presently back at her career as a project manager at Google). She is also back sailing, with a new inspiration to 'return the favor' — give something back to the science that saved her and new hope to the many other people, young and old, who suffer from the Page 170 •

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Back in black — Pacific veteran 'Ragtime' will be on the starting line of the reincarnated Tahiti Race this summer.

more than 50 known types of sarcoma — which are cancers that develop in connective tissues. Sarcomas account for 1% of adult cancers, but 15-20% of childhood cancers, yet currently only 1% of cancer research funds are specifically allocated for sarcoma research. The two ways she plans to do it both Natalie Criou at the helm of 'Elise'. As a cancer survivor, she's also taken the helm of a worthy cause — and a new regatta.

revolve around sailing. In the first, she has dedicated her doublehanded Pacific Cup race aboard Elise (with Nathan Bossett) to raising awareness of sarcoma. Second and even more ambitious, she is creating a whole new regatta, open to all boats, which is slated for the end of June out of Richmond YC. We wish the 'Sarcoma Cup' had a prettier name, but then again, it's not a pretty disease. "Getting the idea for a new weekend event was the easy part," says Nat in her half-French, half-British accent. (She grew up sailing dinghies in France and took up racing when she moved to England in her 20s. She has lived in the Bay Area since 2000.) Even putting together the nonprofit Beat Sarcoma (www.beatsarcoma.org) was comparatively easy compared to shoehorning a new race into the busy summer schedule. But talks with various agencies including YRA and the Leukemia Society (which runs a series of regattas across the country) were encouraging, and both the Express 27 fleet and Richmond YC were very enthusastic about the idea. So get out your pens and 2008 calendars, folks. Dates for the inaugural Sarcoma Cup are June 28-29. The format will be three to five buoy races on Saturday, a party Saturday night, COURTESY NATALIE CRIOU

2) Thea, Chris Herrmann; 3) Nordic Star, Richard Keldsen. (5 boats)

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RICH ROBERTS

ceeds will go specifically toward sarcoma research. . . What's not to like? You will be reading more about the Sarcoma Cup in future issues. Until then, for more on that event, Elise's Pacific Cup project, or Natalie herself, go to the www.beatsarcoma.org website. If you or your fleet are interested in signing up, please contact Natalie at nat@ beatsarcoma.org.

and a pursuit race on Sunday. Natalie says RYC really took the ball and ran with it, among other things assigning PRO Fred Paxton to run the show. The event is open to all one design and handicap boats. Natalie has already contacted a number of them and

several have made at least verbal commitments. So let's see: a great weekend of racing (and partying) out of one of the nicest clubs in the Bay Area, at the nicest time of year. There are no major conflicts with other regattas, and all pro-

Ragtime Signs Up for Tahiti Race Ragtime is restless, and maybe a little homesick. With a record 14th Transpacific fresh under her wooden hull — trumping the former tie with Merlin at 13 apiece — the 65-ft ocean racing icon will return to the South Pacific waters of her birth in the 13th Tahiti Race starting next June from San Pedro. Owner/skipper Chris Welsh of Newport Beach said the resurrection of the race after a 14-year hiatus was too tempting to pass up. "For a West Coast sailor, Tahiti is Everest," Welsh said after filing his entry. "I felt it was compelling, like here's the race, you've got the right tool to do it, and who knows how many times in your life you'll have that all at once?" Other early entries are Doug Baker's Andrews 80 Magnitude 80, from Long

MIDWINTER BOX SCORES November's oil spill threw a greasy wrench in many yacht club midwinter schedules. Unless they got off a race early in the month, most clubs cancelled all on-the-water activity in November and just began anew in December. Barring another manmade or natural disaster, most of these series will run through March. SBYRA WINTER #2 (SPYC, 12/1): SPINNAKER — 1) Wired, Choate 27, Larry Westland; 2) First Light, Beneteau First 35S5, Alex Jefferies; 3) Black Sheep, Beneteau 25, Ron C. Brown. (6 boats) NON-SPINNAKER — 1) Hot Ice, C&C 110, Mike Haddock; 2) Columbine, Islander 44, Dylan Benjamin. (2 boats) Complete results: sbyra.home.comcast.net SEQUOIA YC WINTER #2 (12/1): SPINNAKER — 1) Made Easy, Beneteau 42, Jim Peterson; 2) Yellow Brick Road, Jeanneau 40, John Draeger; 3) Magic, Express 27, Steve Klein. (4 boats) NON-SPINNAKER — 1) Iowa, Hunter 380, Rick Dalton; 2) Mirth, Catalina 34, Rick Gilmore.

(2 boats) Complete results: www.sequoiayc.org TINY ROBBINS MIDWINTER #2 (VYC, 12/1): A FLEET (PHRF 0-174) — 1) Summer & Smoke, Ben. First 36.7, Pat Patterson. (1 boat) B FLEET (PHRF 174+)— 1) Wings, Albin 27, Jerry Halterman; 2) Luna Sea, Santana 525, Steven Strunk. (2 boats) C FLEET (NON-SPINNAKER) — 1) Jasmine, Ranger 23, George Hale; 2) Somewhere in Time, Schock 35, Tom Ochs; 3) Lita-K III, Catalina 42, John Karuzas. (3 boats) Complete results: www.vyc.org ALAMEDA / ISLAND ESTUARY #1 (12/9): SPINNAKER PHRF 0-138 — 1) Rascal, Wilderness, Rui Luis; 2) Ragtime, J/92, Bob Johnston; 3) Vitesse, SC 27, Bart Goodell. (7 boats) SPINNAKER PHRF 139-189 — 1) Moore Lights, Moore 24, Aaron Lee; 2) Bewitched, Merit 25, Laraine Salmon; 3) My Tahoe Too!, Capri 25, Steve Douglass. (10 boats) SPINNAKER PHRF 190+ — 1) Fun Zone, Santana 22, Tom McIntyre; 2) Atuna Matata, Santana 22, Bill King; 3) Auggie, Santana 22, Sally Taylor. (3 boats) NON-SPINNAKER — 1) Flyer, Peterson

33, John Diegoli; 2) Cassiopeia, Islander 36, Kit Wiegman; 3) White Cloud, Yamaha 33, Barbara Jagiello. (4 boats) COLUMBIA 5.5 — 1) Alert, Liem Dao; 2) Wings, Mike Jackson; 3) Krasny, Zhenya Kirueshkin-Stepanoff. (3 boats) Complete results: www.iyc.org ISLAND FEVER MIDWINTER #2 (SBYC, 12/15): SPINNAKER PHRF 0-139 — 1) Savage Beauty, Flying Tiger, John Lymberg. (1 boat) SPINNAKER PHRF 140-179 — 1) Crews Nest, Catalina 34, Ray Irvine; 2) Auggie, Santana 22, Sally Taylor. (2 boats) SPINNAKER PHRF 180 — 1) Dancing Bear, Catalina 30, Joe Askins/Ray Hall; 2) Huge, Catalina 30, Amanda Deisher; 3) Goose, Catalina 30, Mike Kastrop. (5 boats) NON-SPINNAKER — 1) Popeye & I, Cal 9.2, Ruth Summers; 2) Seaview, C&C 115, Pete Hamm. (2 boats) Complete results: www.southbeachyc.org REDWOOD CUP #2 (SeqYC, 12/16): 1) White Dove, Beneteau 40.7, Mike Garl; 2) Magic, Express 27, Steve Klein; 3) Made Easy, Beneteau 42, Jim Peterson. (12 boats) Complete results: www.sequoiayc.org

January, 2008 •

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THE RACING Beach, and Al Hughes' Open 60 Dogbark, from Seattle. Another high-end Long Beach boat, Bob Lane's Andrews 63, Medicine Man, is verbally committed. The 3,571-nautical mile race will start Sunday, June 22, at 1 p.m. off Point Fermin in San Pedro, cross the equator and finish at the historic Pointe Venus lighthouse on the north end of the island of Tahiti, six miles east of Papeete. The race has been run intermittently a dozen times from 1925 to 1994. The record is 14 days, 21 hours, 15 minutes, 26 seconds — an average speed of about 10 knots, modest by current standards — established by Fred Kirschner's Santa Cruz 70 Kathmandu, in 1994, the last time the race was run. Long admired for her sleek, black, low-profile hull, Ragtime was built in New Zealand in 1964 by the late John Spencer. Originally christened Infidel, the boat was brought to Long Beach in the early '70s, renamed, and in 1973 sailed by a local crew of eight that stunned a skeptical racing community by snatching TransPac's Barn Door prize (first to finish) from the record holder, Windward Passage, by 4 minutes 31 seconds — still the closest first-to-finish duel in TransPac history — and followed that with another win in '75. Ragtime has had several owners in her 44 years. One extended her transom 3 1/2 feet (for additional waterline) to a length overall of 65 feet. Welsh took possession three years ago and has added his own touches, including a more powerful rig, a new rudder and — now in process — the fitting of a new, more efficient keel that will reduce displacement by about 1,500 pounds. The Tahiti Race is open to any 'properly ballasted, self-righting monohull" 33 feet and up with a Southern California PHRF rating no slower than 114. Multihulls 45 feet and over are also welcome.

ROLEX/CARLO BORLENGHI

Meet the new 'Boss: Alex Thomson's newest 'Hugo Boss' was running second in the Barcelona World Race — and gaining fast on the leader as this issue went to press.

There is no upper size limit. Of course, there are a number of safety regulations and inspections to which all entries are subject. For more on all aspects of the race, log onto www. transpacificyc.org. — rich roberts Rosebud Blooms in Rolex Trophy Roger Sturgeon's TransPac 65 Rosebud snuck past local favorite Yendys to win IRC Division 0/1 of the Rolex Trophy, an 8-race, 1-throwout series put on by the Cruising Club of Australia off Sydney Heads in early December. The Florida-based Rosebud — with Santa Cruzan Jack Halterman once again on the helm — was 'fresh off the boat' from San Francisco, where she placed second in class at the Big Boat Series last September. Racing began off Sydney on December 9. Tied with the R/P 55 Yendys through mid-series, Sturgeon's crew leapfrogged ahead in the final four races, ending up with an impressive 1,2,2,1,1,2,2 (11 points) record after throwing out a fifth in the last race, which beat Yendys by two points. Thirty-three boats in three one design and three IRC divisions par-

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ticipated. Originally called the British Trophy Regatta, this series of buoy races was conceived as an 'off-year' event for boats in between the Southern Cross Series races (which then included the SydneyHobart). Today, the Rolex Cup is a standalone event which attracts top boats on its own merits — although most, including Rosebud, still hang around to do the Sydney-Hobart on December 26. Race Notes Clash of the Titans — As this issue went to press, two Open 60s screaming across the Southern Ocean 800 miles

ROLEX/DANIEL FORSTER

SHEET

Roger Sturgeon's STP-65 'Rosebud' wowed the crowd at the Big Boat Series and recently did the same Down Under. Her next event: the Sydney-Hobart.

below Australia were practically within spitting distance of one another. They were the Open 60s Paprec-Virbac 2, whose co-skippers Jean Pierre Dick and Damian Foxall have led the Barcelona World Race (nonstop doublehanded around the world) since its start on November 11, and British sailors Alex Thomson and Andrew Cape on the big, bad Hugo Boss. The latter has been slowly chipping away at the former and after 10,000 miles of racing, at one

point they were only separated by 12 miles. (To see how they're doing when you get this issue, log onto www.barcelonaworldrace.com.) Earlier in the race, Hugo Boss set a new 24-hour monohull record of 501 miles. Only five of nine starters are still on the race course, the rest having retired due to damage of one type or another. Not another one! Not another two! — two new shorthanded round-the-world races were formally announced last month: the SolOceans Singlehanded event and the Portimão Global Ocean Race. The first is a two-leg affair from France to New Zealand and on around

the globe back to France on 'identical' one design 53-ft boats. The second starts and ends in the title city (which is in Portugal). It has five stops, is being touted as 'affordable' and can be raced either solo or doublehanded. Both events are scheduled to start within weeks of each other next fall. Next up, a special race for left-handed, red-haired guys with blue boats . . . . Cruel fate — Early in the morning of December 19, just a few hundred miles from the finish line of the Transat Ecover B to B race, Dee Caffari's Open 60 yacht Aviva dismasted in gale conditions. The boat was towed to Spain and Dee, who made history in 2006 by becoming the first woman to sail alone around the world against the prevailing wind and current, has since flown home to England. There was likely still plenty of holiday cheer — her new Open 60 Aviva splashed down in New Zealand right before she dismasted the old one. Fifteen boats started the Transat Ecover B to B in Salvador de Bahia, Brazil, on November 29. Twelve toughed it out to the finish line 4,400 miles away in Port-La-Floret, Brittany, with winner Loick Peyron on Gitana 80 arriving on December 14. In like a Lyon — Congratulations to the Bay Area’s Amy Lyons, 25, for being named US Sailing’s ‘US Sailor of the Week’ last month. Lyons, who had never set foot on a sailboat until college, has grand goals for her role as program director for Treasure Island Sailing Center, including the expansion of their adaptive sailing program and the launch of a new program aimed at getting Bay Area 4th graders on the water. “It’s important to help broaden their horizons about what’s out there, within their reach,” Lyons said of the kids. Easy riders — Seven maxi yachts had a smooth ride across The Pond during the first ever Transatlantic Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup. Anders Johnson’s Swan 70 Blue Pearl took top honors. The race, which started November 26, took the 70-ft-or-longer boats from the Canary Islands to St. Maarten in the Caribbean. The International Maxi Association, in cooperation with Italy’s Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, dreamed up the 2,700-mile race as a feeder for the winter Caribbean racing circuit. It was such a success that plans are already underway for next year’s event. Mariners with a Mission — At least three Pacific Cup participants are sailing for a cause, and we encourage you January, 2008 •

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to help if you can: • Nathan Bossett and Natalie Criou, aboard their Expres 27 Elise, hope to raise awareness and money for the Beat Sarcoma Fund at the Stanford Cancer Center. Check out their website at www.beatsarcoma.org for more on how you can take part; and check out the Racing Sheet article on page 170 for more on Natalie and a new fundraising regatta for this worthy cause coming up this summer. • When Stephane Plihon’s son, Evan Luc, was born prematurely, the folks at Children’s Hospital of Oakland were so wonderful that he wants to help pay back their kindness by raising funds while crossing the Pacific aboard the Moore 24 Le Flying Fish. Plihon and boat partner Jean-Phillipe Sirey, both TransPac and Pac Cup vets, hope to raise $50,000 with their Sailors on a Mission campaign to benefit the Children’s Hospital & Research Center Foundation. Find out more at www. sailorsonamission.org.

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THE RACING

Midwinter racing returned in a big way last month. This is the J/24 contingent of RegattaPRO's 'Winter Keel' fleet in action.

• Finally, Garrett Caldwell, sailing his Tayana 47 Oceanaire, wants to bring attention to the Give Back a Smile Foundation. The foundation helps victims of domestic violence reclaim their self-esteem by restoring their smiles. Check them out at www.

aacd.com/foundation. On that note, we wish you all a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year. If you race, have fun but be safe. And if you're searching around for worthy resolutions, how about offering a ride to a non-racer friend, co-worker or even neighbor — and going to the extra effort to make it an unforgettable experience for them? See you out there!

Photo: David Gartland

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• January, 2008

Question: What's the secret to winning the Pacific Cup? Answer: Start Early! Winning takes planning and preparation. The last two overall winners started early by calling Easom Rigging. Start now! Call today.

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WORLD With reports this month on the differences between Prime Charter Venues Around the World and a frequent charterer's four-family cruise through Rhode Island Sound.

Welcome to 2008 And a World of Charter Options Whoa! Here we are at the beginning of a new year already. Time certainly does fly when you're, ah. . . working your tail off. One of the cool things about January, though, is that it's a time of new beginnings. A time to clear away the clutter of the past year and start anew. A time to survey the pages of your new calendar and pencil in a little time for some much-needed R&R — ideally on a sailing vacation. In this month's column we'll attempt to help you answer the obvious question: Where to next? As you can see by the map below, this ol' world of ours is peppered with charter bases. Needless to say, they're all located in prime sailing destinations. Late-model bareboats are available at all the spots listed and luxury crewed yachts can be found at many of them also. Lest we set your head to reeling with too many options, we'll divide our discussion here by categories or 'themes'. After all, different attractions appeal to different tastes. With bareboat chartering in mind, we'll address several key questions which are often asked of charter brokers: Which are the best venues for first time charterers? Which offer the best sailing? Which are best for kids? Which offer the most interesting cultural attractions ashore? And which are the most exotic? If you regularly peruse these pages

but have been just a wee bit too unsure of your abilities to commit to a bareboat charter, let us explain how easy it can be. You probably won't be surprised to find that the British Virgin Islands are at the top of our list for first-time charterers. You've heard that a thousand times, right? And for good reason. Not only are the waters well protected, the distances between anchorages short and the shoreside facilities abundant, but there are overnight mooring buoys in almost every popular anchorage. You can literally explore for two weeks without having to anchor — the most fearful maneuver for most marina-based sailors. Although we never tire of sailing in the BVI, that British Overseas Territory isn't the only place we'd recommend to first-time charterers. Roughly 350 miles to the southeast lies a cluster of tiny islands called the Grenadines. Here too, distances between islands and anchorages are quite short and the sea state is generally pretty flat. But there's not nearly as many boaters, and not nearly as much development ashore. Yes, you will have to anchor, but with white sand beneath you in every anchorage it's as close to a no-brainer as you'll find anywhere. Besides, you've gotta learn to set the hook sometime. Another excellent first-timer destination is the greater Puget Sound region. Whether you choose to sail in the American San Juans or the Canadian Gulf Islands, you'll find benign conditions

90% of the time; excellent shoreside facilities, including many marinas; and breathtaking panoramas. You do have to pay careful attention to tides and currents, but that's a minor challenge which we've always viewed as part of the fun. Which venues offer the best sailing?

Scotland

Scandinavia Italy Croatia Fr. Riviera Greece Turkey

Brittany

Balearic Islands Corsica Canary Islands Seychelles

Principle Charter Bases Worldwide

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• January, 2008

Maine Chesapeake Belize

Thailand

Vietnam

Sea of Cortez Tonga

Malaysia Whitsundays Sydney

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Gulf & San Juan Is.

Tahiti

Bay of Islands Hauraki Gulf

Florida Eastern Carib

LATITUDE / ANDY

INSET RIGHT: GPSC

OF CHARTERING

We'd be fools to guarantee you'll find ideal wind and weather anywhere in any given week. That said, the trade winds of the Eastern Caribbean are about as predictable as you'll find anywhere. That's why Antigua Sailing Week and the Heineken Regatta are two of the most popular regattas in the world. From St. Maarten to the Grenadines you'll typically find ideal 12- to 25-knot conditions year-round, interrupted only by passing storms and 'tropical waves' during the June-to-November hurricane season. Where else? You can usually count on some pretty fine sailing conditions in New Zealand during their summers (our winters), as well as in the Tahitian islands, which promise tranquil lagoon anchorages combined with often-booming interisland passages. Wind strengths in Mexico's Sea of Cortez tend to cycle,

including everything from very light air to strong blows. Taken as a whole, though, there's generally plenty of nice breeze in fall, winter and spring. Which are the best venues for kids? In our experience, the most fun young kids typically have on a charter vacation is when they're snorkeling. Find a snorkel and fins that fit your kid, let him or her splash around for a few hours in clear water over an abundant reef, and you'll have one happy kid — and one who won't give you a hard time at bedtime. Older teens and young adults tend to like the autonomy of taking off on a sailing dinghy, wind surfer or kayak (translation: escaping their parental units).

Whoever invented the mask and snorkel did family vacationers a huge favor. Everyone from pre-schoolers to grandparents can enjoy it.

SUNSAIL

Spread: Charterers anchor off a 'motu' in the tranquil Raiatea lagoon. Insets, left to right: With plenty of overnight moorings available, the San Juan Islands are a fine choice for a first-time charter; chillin' is a national pastime of the BVI; the cultural heritage of Greece adds a whole new dimension to vacationing there.

With these criteria in mind, there are a lot of places that will fill the bill: the Eastern Caribbean, Belize, the Sea of Cortez, Tonga, Tahiti, Thailand, the Whitsundays, the Seychelles and even Florida. If your charter operator doesn't offer watersports toys, you can often rent them from waterside resorts. Which venues offer the most interesting cultural attractions ashore? Here we enter a whole new realm of consideration. If some of your potential shipmates aren't die-hard sailors, but love history or simply like being surrounded by lively cultural traditions, there are a variety of destinations that will peak their interest while ashore, in addition to fine cruising under sail. Of course, anywhere in Europe is worth considering — Britany, Scotland, the French Riviera, Italy's western coastline, Croatia. . . But for true history buffs, accessing the antiquities of the Greek Isles and Turkey's Turquoise Coast is tough to beat. Closer to home, the backwaters of Downeast Maine and the Chesapeake could also be considered, as towns there date back to colonial times. And when it comes to getting in touch with genuine Polynesian culture, both Tonga and Tahiti are sure to please. Which venues are the most exotic? By our definition of the word, Thailand and Malaysia would definitely have to be high on the list, as would Tahiti, the Seychelles and the sailing world's newest charter option, Vietnam. Yeah, we know: So many choices, so little time. Here's an idea: Corral a group of willing charter partners and let them decide! — latitude/at

January, 2008 •

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WORLD

ART HARTIGER

charter closer to home. Sailing two boats out of Newport, RI, four families did a week-long cruise to Cuttyhunk, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. There were eight of us board Imagine, a Beneteau 46: me, my wife Susan, our kids Claire, 15, and Elise, 13, plus our longtime chartering partners Andrea and Kirsi, and their kids Marco, 15, and Paolo, 13. This was our first cruise with teenagers, and we're happy to say it was not a problem. Aboard the second boat, a Hinckley 49 named Elizabeth, were New Yorkers Alberto and Annemarie, with their two kids Francesco, 9, and Giacomo, 8. They were joined by our friends from London, Marco and Karin, and their kids Matteo, 12, and Daniela, 10. We chose to charter from Bareboat

They kept the Hinckley 49 'Elizabeth' in their sights. Chartering two boats adds a whole new level of fun.

A Four-Family Charter Through Rhode Island Sound We've done a lot of wonderful bareboat charters in venues all over the world, but last summer we decided to

Sailing Charters, mainly because they seemed to be the only game in town (www.bareboatnewport.com). And Newport seems to be the only harbor in the area from which one can charter any boats at all. Our search for boats in other East Coast locations that are within easy striking distance of Martha’s Vineyard didn’t turn up any alternatives. Unfortunately, it was raining when we gathered in Newport on a Friday evening in August. But we completed checkouts on both boats, as we planned to set sail early in the morning. After dinner at a local Newport restaurant, we returned to the boats, and some of the crew went off to provision. Attention beer and wine lovers: things shut down at 11 p.m. in this part of the world, so plan accordingly. We made it to the liquor store by 10:55 p.m., narrowly averting a crisis, as our first stop was scheduled to be Cuttyhunk, a dry island. We departed on Saturday morning, with clear skies and a nice breeze, reaching Cuttyhunk in the afternoon. It's a beautiful little island with an in-

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• January, 2008

Monohulls and Catamarans 33’ to 50’ BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

had promised to prepare both a fresh clam chowder and a lobster feed, so we were determined to make it. We hit high tide outside the lake and, upon entering the narrow channel, promptly hit the sandy bottom. We quickly backed off, and were advised by a local boater to keep to the east side of the channel. With lobster on our minds, we tried again and, sure enough, we slipped through with no problem. Lake Tashmoo was apparently a freshwater lake decades ago, but when it suffered a breach to the sound, it was decided to create a permanent entrance to Vineyard Sound. These days, the water inside is brackish. It is a beautiful little lake, surrounded by trees and some houses, with a number of boats moored inside. Escorted by our local friend Bob, his son Lem and daughter Anna Rose in their boat, we felt privileged to pull up ART HARTIGER

ner harbor which is somewhat tight, but can accommodate a few dozen boats on moorings ($40 per night, first come, first served). Cuttyhunk has a few great services, including a wonderful fish market (actually, more of a window), ice cream store and a raw bar. We bought some fresh swordfish and salmon and headed back to the boat for a barbecue. The raw bar boat circles through the mooring field, offering fresh clams, lobsters and oysters. We succumbed to temptation and bought some oysters and shrimp to accompany our cocktail hour. Delicious! Our game plan was to sail to Martha's Vineyard, to spend time with some friends who have a house there, on the shoreline of Lake Tashmoo. We left in the morning, traversing Quick’s Hole to Vineyard Sound, having calculated the high tide outside the lake to be at about 12 noon or so. The entrance is reputed to be narrow, with significant shoaling, and the Tisbury Harbormaster was unable to say whether we could even enter the lake, given the six-foot draft on each of our boats. But our friend Elissa

HENRY J GORDON

OF CHARTERING

Elissa raises a toast over a heap of local lobsters. She whipped up a meal that will long be remembered.

to a dock right in front of their house. Before long we were enjoying Elissa’s famous homemade clam chowder, with

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clams taken shortly before our arrival directly from the lake. We settled in for a couple of nights of swimming and fun. Our friends taught us how to get clams — using a rake or even your hands is cheating, according to Elissa. You’ve got to wade in and feel them with your toes. Within a short time, the kids had filled up a bucket with fresh clams. Later, Bob took the kids out to check on his lobster pots and they returned with four lobsters. (Three mysteriously escaped that night, however, before being plunged into a steamy pot. I suspect the numerous kids who kept checking out the cage.) That evening, we left the kids behind and went to a Boston Pops concert that included Natalie Cole, Branford Marsalis and a guest appearance by Carly Simon. The next day included walks to nearby Vineyard Haven, outdoor showers, spending too much money at the famous Black Dog Tavern, a bike ride to Edgartown, a lobster feed with local corn on the cob, and then another music surprise: Toots and the Maytals were playing at a local joint called Out-

ART HARTIGER

WORLD

Regardless of the boat type that is chartered, kids always seem to find a place to escape their parents. Note the safety line.

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• January, 2008

The next day we set sail late in the morning bound for Nantucket. We had 15- to 20-knot winds the whole way, and had a great time sailing with Elizabeth. While Imagine dutifully rounded all marks and I cooked a leisurely pasta lunch on the way into Nantucket Harbor, Elizabeth cut the corners and proclaimed they'd "won the race." Later, this set off a round of arguments, and so our defacto 'race committee' set a specific course for the next day's sail back to Martha’s Vineyard. There was no way the Hinckley could possibly beat our Beneteau. On the trip to Nantucket, we were joined by a red-breasted nuthatch — we nicknamed him Red — who looked very tired and glad to find a resting place some five miles or so from shore. Red stayed for an hour or so before flying off. Although there are dozens of moorings in the harbor, they were all reserved. But we found plenty of anchoring room in a lovely anchorage. The only drawback was that we were quite a ways from the dinghy dock. The alter-

native was to call the Harbor Launch on VHF 68 for a pick-up. They charged $8 per person for a roundtrip. We made the rounds at the stores, stocked up on ice and returned to the boat for a BBQ and a poker game with the kids. The official poker winners – for every game during the trip – were Paolo and Elise. After losing, I mentioned that I had taught Paolo how to play poker in French Polynesia on an earlier family cruise. With that, Paolo smugly pointed out, "Well, as so often happens, the student has surpassed the teacher." Nantucket has a rich history as a whaling town, but appears now to be chock full of boutiques and art galleries. It would have been nice to explore the other parts of the island, but we wanted to get back aboard and get some rest before the next morning's big race. Both Imagine and Elizabeth weighed anchor early and headed out the narrow Nantucket channel entrance. While inside the channel, with about 15 knots of wind behind us, we saw activity on Elizabeth. They were setting the jib, and kids were scurrying about. We pulled

NORTH AMERICA

CARIBBEAN

ART HARTIGER

OF CHARTERING

At the peak of the summer sailing season Nantucket's dinghy dock is a busy place — but we've seen much worse.

up alongside and learned that they had complete engine failure with a troubling amount of smoke in their engine room.

ME DITERRANEAN

S O U T H PA C I F I C

W E TAKE C ARE O F Y OU ,

They eventually got things sorted out and we set sail for Martha’s Vineyard, close hauled. The winds built to over thirty knots, with gusts to 40. Although the wind was on the nose, it was a really fun 20-mile sail. Elizabeth contacted the charter company for some help in diagnosing the engine problem, and they directed us to Vineyard Haven to meet a mechanic. It turned out to be a decent anchorage even though there is quite a bit of ferry traffic. There was lots of room to anchor, in 15 feet of water. Elizabeth dropped the anchor under sail, and we set ours nearby. When the mechanic came the next morning, we learned that a new part was needed, so it would be sailing only for them the rest of the way. We picked up the anchor and headed to Menemsha for our last day. Both boats tacked their way up Vineyard Sound, with the wind on the nose under cloudy skies. We eventually took moorings right outside the mouth of Menemsha Harbor. It looked like there were six mooring balls there (apparently

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WORLD OF CHARTERING this was a crowded time of year, and we like to cook on board. Departing the next day, we had a long slog back to Newport Harbor, with fluky winds (ranging from 5 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 15 knots) right on the nose, and lumpy seas. Imagine motorsailed, as we had about thirty miles to go, and the boat was due back by noon. Elizabeth sailed, close hauled, enduring an 11-hour tacking fest. When back in Newport, the boats had to be topped off, so we stopped at a fuel dock, filled up the water tanks, and bought some diesel. The charter company naturally relaxed this requirement for Elizabeth, and Alberto handily sailed the 49 footer straight up to the dock. Our thoughts have turned to our next charter. Maine? Carib? Thailand? French Polynesia? We have some serious decision-making ahead. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; art hartinger ART HARTIGER

free, as no one said otherwise), first come first served. We managed to get the last two mooring balls, and were set again for the night. Elizabeth expertly picked up the mooring under sail, no problem. Menemsha is really a nice change from the T-shirt shops, art boutiques, and curio stores which seemed to be prevalent in Nantucket and Vineyard Haven (at least close to their harbors). Menemsha is low key, with a beautiful beach (although it was raining when we were there). And there is a restaurant in town, Home Port, that we loved. Without a reservation, we ordered from their 'take out' window, and sat outside (in a light rain), enjoying clams, shrimp, oysters, lobsters, and fish stew. It was extremely difficult to plow through our last four bottles of wine at dinner, but we persisted and succeeded. Did I mention that people seem to

Look closely and you'll see Claire's new feathered friend, Red. He stopped by to visit and rest his weary wings during the sail to Nantucket.

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CHANGES With reports this month from Hawk at Puerto Montt, Chile; from Night Heron on surviving the Caribbean 1500 with not much sail; from Meridian on launching baby turtles in Mazatlan; from Coco Kai on working through Ecuadorian red tape; from Southern Cross on the continuing fun on Fanning Island; from Sea Angel on the passage from Bermuda to St. Martin; from Snow Goose on Thanksgiving at Isla Isabella; and a whole locker full of Cruise Notes. Hawk — Van de Stadt 47 Evans Starzinger & Beth Leonard Puerto Montt, Chile (Annapolis, Maryland) Evans and I have enjoyed another challenging and rewarding year. In the last 12 months we've sailed almost 12,000 nautical miles, visited four countries and, upon reaching Puerto Montt, Chile, in October, have closed the loop on our second circumnavigation. Since we were last here in Puerto Montt five years ago, we've put more than 40,000 nautical miles beneath Hawk's bottom, a third of that in the Southern Ocean. We've now sailed more than 100,000 miles in our two boats, almost two-thirds of it in high latitudes with Hawk. To review our last year, we spent Christmas in Mag Bay on the west coast of the Baja peninsula with a wonderful group of new-to-cruising couples, and became good friends with them. We then rounded the tip of Baja, and just after New Year's, stopped at La Paz for a couple of weeks so Beth could refresh her Spanish by taking an intensive course. After that, we enjoyed a six-week winter cruise in the Sea of Cortez, followed by an inland trip to visit the Mayan ruins in Chiapas, Mexico's southernmost state. In April we departed the Sea of Cortez for Costa Rica. We took the offshore route, making just one short stop in Zihua to clear Customs and top up with

LATITUDE/LADONNA

Beth, seen here with Evans, won the National Outdoor Book Award in Outdoor Literature for 'Blue Horizons'.

fuel, water and produce. The Gulf of Tehuantepec is dreaded for sometimes strong winds and big seas, but we motored across in flat calms, surrounded by pods of dolphins, dozens of sea turtles, and hundreds of seabirds. Upon arriving in Bahia Santa Elena in the north of Costa Rica, we were serenaded, morning and night, by flocks of scarlet macaws. We had planned to spend a month or so in Costa Rica before moving onto Ecuador, where the summer climate is much cooler and drier. Unfortunately, the officials in Ecuador make it exceedingly difficult to visit by yacht, so we spent three months, from the end of April to the end of July, in Costa Rica. It was unbearably hot and humid, with almost daily thunderstorms, but the wonderful wildlife experiences more than made up for it. Ecuador’s new regulations affect the Galapagos Islands as well, so when we left Costa Rica, we sailed nonstop to the Gambier Islands. This is a small archipelago in French Polynesia that's located about 800 miles southeast of Tahiti. We'd always wanted to visit these remote islands, but they'd never really been within reach of any of our sailing routes. It took us 24 days to cover the 4,000 miles between Costa Rica and the Gambiers, but once there, we spent a month enjoying the coral atolls. From there, it was another 3,800 miles — in 24 days — to Puerto Montt, Chile, and included weathering two gales during the last four days of the passage. We left Hawk at Marina del Sur, the marina where we wintered the last time we were here, and returned to the States for a short visit. We've just applied for our cruising permit, so, weather permitting, we'll begin a three-month voyage from Puerto Montt to Puerto Williams — the latter 60 miles north of Cape Horn — at the end of the week. We plan to spend the southern winter in the Beagle Channel at the very bottom of South America. In October or November, our intention is to make the passage to South Georgia Island, where we hope to spend a month. After that, we'll head back up the Atlantic, for

what will likely be the end of this voyage. — beth 12/10/07 Readers — During the couple's trip back to the States, Beth received word that her book Blue Horizons had won the prestigious National Outdoor Book Award in the Outdoor Literature category. Her book is only the second sailing book to win in any category, and the first to win in the literature category. Congratulations! As for deciding that officials had made Ecuador too difficult to visit, there are opposing views later in this month's Changes. Night Heron — Brewer 52 CiCi Sayer, Crew An Adventurous Caribbean 1500 (Two Harbors, Catalina) The East Coast version of the Baja HaHa is the Caribbean 1500 from Hampton, Virginia, to Tortola in the British Virgins. This was the 18th year, and 69 boats participated. Unlike the Ha-Ha, which almost always has benign weather con-

KARL MATZKE

IN LATITUDES

ditions with light winds from aft, 1500s tend to have periods of much stronger winds and bigger seas, the wind can come from any direction, and you have to cross the Gulfstream. Furthermore, the 1500 is not only twice as long as the Ha-Ha, there are no stops along the way — except for those who seek shelter in Bermuda. After another summer of driving a shoreboat at Two Harbors on Catalina, I joined owner Jeff Edwards and several others — who all proved to be terrific — for the trip. We started on November 4, just after hurricane Noel had passed Virginia. The passing of the hurricane seemed to create a vacuum in its wake, as we enjoyed sunny weather with light winds for the start. Apparently this is something of a novelty for the 1500, as evidenced by the comment, "We've finally been able to take photographs of a 1500 start!" Over the years, starts have had to be delayed by as much as several days

to wait for safe sailing conditions. Our first three days of sailing were easy, as the conditions were easy. That all changed when a low formed off Bermuda and a front created squalls for the boats — such as ours — toward the back of the fleet. By midnight, the wind was up to 35 knots and gusting to 40, and the seas were running 15 feet. But sailing with the main double-reefed, we were pretty comfortable given the conditions. At 1 a.m. — when else? — I was awakened by the sound of flailing sails and the watch attempting to further shorten sail. But by then it was too late. With a loud 'Pop!', the genoa exploded in a 50-knot gust. About the same time we were struck broadside by a wave that had enough force to sheer the mounts of the 500-lb, 14 kw generator, jerking her three feet to the side and against the main engine. Our port tank was also ruptured, and we began to lose diesel at a frightful rate. And just for kicks, our high water alarm sounded, setting off a frantic search for the source of the incoming water. It turned out that seawater had been pouring into the chain locker all along,

When surfers shred, it's a good thing. But when headsails shred — as was the case with 'Night Heron' in the 1500 — it's not so good.

CICI SAYLOR

In the last five years, Evans and Beth have put 40,000 miles beneath 'Hawk's' keel — even a few of them on San Francisco Bay.

and that the bilge pumps had finally clogged. Shame on us for allowing both of those things to happen unnoticed! When dawn finally broke, we were able to assess the condition of our sails. The genoa was a total loss, having been completely shredded. But if we were careful, we found that we could still use about 10% of the main. So with just a staysail and a tiny bit of main to work with, you can imagine that we were a little underpowered for the long — and what proved to be very slow — sail the rest of the way to the British Virgins. We thought about diverting to either Bermuda or the Carolina coast, but with bad weather in the way to both those ports, we decided to continue on to the tropics. Naturally we reported our status to the folks at the Caribbean 1500 — and were shocked to learn that a number of other boats were in even worse shape than Night Heron! Unfortunately, our list of problems seemed to grow by the hour. Silly me, I'd thought that we could throw our 'to do' list away once we'd left the dock. As soon as the weather settled a little, we transferred our remaining fuel to the starboard tank, using our oil change pump and a water hose. Yes, we'd had to get creative. We finally managed to get the generator off the engine and back where it belonged — but it required using a 5-foot long 2x4 as a lever. The 2x4 was then attached to the stringers to keep the generator from sliding sideways in the still-large seas. As we continued southeast to our destination, the weather deteriorated each night, so sleep was almost impos-

CHANGES sible. But we eventually all became so exhausted that we could have slept through a hurricane. Given our badly out of balance sail plan, it was understandable that our autopilot couldn't steer in any gusts or if the wind was forward of the beam. As such, we had to do a lot of hand-steering in all conditions. I'll say one thing for having done this trip, driving in 40 knots doesn't scare me anymore. Fifty knots, yes. But 40 knots is doable. After five days of sailing to conserve our dwindling fuel supply, and with our generator still out of commission, we began to live by the mantra of most cruisers: Conserve! Conserve! Conserve! On the fifth night after the initial squall, we found ourselves in yet another bout of bad weather, with virtually no control over the boat. Although the pointy end of the boat was headed southeast, Night Heron was making three knots due west! In a 24-hour period, we'd been blown 50 miles off course. It suddenly began to look like we'd have to make landfall at Cuba — no matter what the Bush administration would think. But the weather soon moderated considerably, and we decided to motorsail toward our goal. Then the wind miraculously came out of the northwest, the perfect direction, at a very pleasant 15 knots, which allowed us to kill the engine, make good time, and actually enjoy ourselves. By this time only three of the 69 boats were behind us. All of them had major issues, from water in the fuel to blown sails — and sometimes both! Before long, the wind came out of the south at a very mellow 10 knots, but by that time we were within striking distance of Tortola, so we fired up the

engine once again and made a beeline for the finish. We arrived at Road Town on the 19th of November, having averaged only about 100 miles a day, not bad given our situation. We made quite a spectacle upon arrival, as we'd been unable to lower our shredded headsail, and therefore looked a bit like a pirate ship after a losing battle. Nonetheless, we received a good round of applause by the many folks who had been waiting for us. Once secure at Village Cay Marina, we reviewed the trip to see what we could have done better. There were many things. While we had reefed early enough, two reefs hadn't been sufficient for the conditions. Heaving to would have been preferable to carrying on as we did. Falling off course and running with the wind may also have been a better option. We also learned the importance of checking the bilges on a regular basis, and not assuming that the bilge pumps would be clear and working. By the way, after 'the incident' we instituted a rule that, whenever the wind blew in excess of 30 knots, two crew had to be on deck, one to keep watch, one to check on the bilges and pumps. On the good side, we also learned that Night Heron sails pretty darn well with handkerchief-sized sails! I've always believed that it's not a matter of if the world will go to shit, but when. And that when it happens, it will be in three seconds flat. Sadly, I was right in this case. Happily, I can say that the gods of the sea were kind and didn't cause us any harm other than to our pride and the owner's pocketbook. — cici 12/10/07

LATITUDE/RICHARD

After a couple of seasons of driving shoreboats at Catalina's Two Harbors, Cici was looking forward to a sailing adventure. She found it!

Meridian — Tayana 48CC Cutter John and Nancy Powers & Family Launching Baby Turtles (Napa) After completing the Ha-Ha, we headed up to La Paz for Thanksgiving, then crossed the Sea of Cortez to Mazatlan and Marina El Cid. It's nice here. Maybe too nice, as we're getting very comfortable here and our girls, Maddie, 8, and Sophie, 6, are loving the swimming pool. While listening to the morning cruisers' net the other day, we heard that baby turtles would be released to the sea that afternoon at 5 p.m. on the beach in front of the Aqua Marina Hotel. We didn't know what it was about, but it sure sounded interesting. We grabbed a bus around 4:30 p.m., but couldn't quite get to the hotel because of road detours being set

up for some kind of race the following day. So the bus driver, on the advice of several locals, encouraged us to get off at a stop a few blocks from the beach. When we got off, we followed what was an unusually large number of people heading to the beach at that time of day. And once there, we saw hundreds of people — mostly locals — lined up behind a rope that was stretched along several hundred yards of sand. Joining the masses, it wasn't long before some official-looking guy went through the crowd handing out baby turtles. Maddie and Sophie each got two. We could tell that the girls weren't really sure how to feel about having these squirming little fellas in their hands, but they held on. It was amazing, as these very small very young turtles were absolutely driven to make their way out into the ocean. The moment finally came for everyone to set their turtles gently in the sand. Then we watched as they raced — we're being generous here, as they are, after all, turtles — toward the water. Some

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY MERIDIAN

IN LATITUDES Yacht Works first-class diesel repair service. As such, Singlar Mazatlan is a smart choice for boats needing TLC. Our intent was not to write a puff piece for Singlar Mazatlan; we're just satisfied customers who would like other people to know about the resource. The large following seas in the early going of the Ha-Ha convinced us that we needed to beef up the mounting for our autopilot, but we weren't sure we'd be able to find someone to do the work. Boy, were we wrong! We had the work done here at Singlar Mazatlan, and it was very professional, as well as on time and under budget. — nancy 11/29/07 Readers — Several years ago we participated in the launch of baby turtles near Nuevo Vallarta. What a fantastic experience, as those day-or-two-old little fellas really are cute and full of life. But nature is cruel, for it's our understanding that the mortality rate is over 90% in the first year.

charged full speed ahead without a break, and were gone as soon as they reached the waves. Others seemed to become a little tuckered on their journey to the sea. And a few others pretty much gave up from the git go. Fortunately the turtle herders — or whatever the organizers were called — eventually scooped up the laggards and moved them a bit closer to the water. Contact with the water seemed to revitalize the little guys, and they instantly charged further into the sea. Once the turtles were in the water, they could really move out. Before long, we could no longer see them or their rapidly moving flippers. Maddie later told me that she thought the turtles were all going to be very large, and that they were going to have to use a crane to lower them into the water. After all, nobody mentioned anything about baby turtles. Well, that would have been fun to see, too. In the December Changes, you ran an

article on the new Singlar Marina in La Paz. We'd like to add some very positive comments about another new Singlar Marina in Mazatlan, which apparently is very similar in layout and facilities to its sibling in La Paz. Located next to Marina Mazatlan, Singlar Mazatlan has beautiful new docks, power, water, diesel, and a combo hot-tub/lap-pool. Future additions include an outdoor bar, a cruisers' lounge, and a small restaurant. The docks receive a weekly cleaning, the grounds are very well-kept, and the Singlar staff has been just great, making us feel very much at home. Although Singlar Mazatlan doesn't have as many slips as neighboring Marina Mazatlan or the nearby El Cid Marina, it can still accommodate about 25 boats up to 60 feet. And if you need work, it's nice to have a boatyard right there. They have a big Travel-Lift, offer excellent painting services, and it's also the site of Total

Coco's got the bug! The schooner's namesake loves her sea life, both in the wild and on her dinner plate. COCO KAI

Spread; Crowds line the beach at Mazatlan to watch the turtles being launched. Insets; Sophie and Maddie, and a man from a TV crew.

Coco Kai — 65-ft Schooner Greg, Jennifer and Coco Ecuador Red Tape Isn't Too Bad (Long Beach) We on Coco Kai are rebellious buccaneers — and very proud of it! If we listened to all the negative comments about places we wanted to go, or when we wanted to go to them, we'd have missed a lot. That includes Ecuador. Since we're always one step ahead or behind the pack, we've enjoyed uncrowded anchorages, no problems picking up moorings without reservations, and travelled inland when it wasn't busy. Let's focus on our experience with Ecuador. Just about everyone who had

CHANGES been there — and even those who hadn't — tried to convince us not to go. But if we insisted, they warned, we needed to be sure to travel with full diesel tanks because no fuel would be available there. Well, after eight straight days of rain in western Panama, we couldn't take it anymore, and on just 12 hours notice set sail for Ecuador. It was a month earlier than we'd planned, but both we and our schooner needed to dry out. It's true that our 300-gallon fuel tanks only had 20 gallons in them, but I didn't worry about that. And while we knew in advance that the pilot at Bahia Caraquez wouldn't be available for at least two weeks, we figured we could kill the time at some nearby islands. At least it wouldn't be raining there like it was in Panama. We beat down to Bahia Caraquez in five days, only motoring for a few hours to clear Punta Galera. The last boat we talked to had taken two more days to complete the same passage, so that wasn't a problem. What was a problem was that our Winlink communication system went down enroute — ironically, on the same day that my ham license expired. As such, I lost contact with Tripp Martin, the cruisers' friend at Puerto Amistad in Bahia Caraquez. So we anchored at Punta Pasado for one night, then sailed south to be able to reach Martin on VHF. He reported that the pilot was expected back in a week, so we went off to Isla de la Plata. The email came back up a couple days later, so I knew they hadn't shut me off. After a week, Martin told us that it would be another week before the pilot returned, so we should go ahead and check in at Manta, and he wouldn't charge us another $150 in agent's fee when we

COCO KAI

In the first 6,000 miles, Greg didn't lose any leaders catching nice fish like this. Once he got to Ecuador, he lost lures left and right.

got to Bahia Caraquez. Manta, for those keeping score, is the largest tuna fishing port on the west coast of South America. We were escorted into the harbor by a panga, and directed to anchor in a spot right in front of the yacht club. It was a Saturday, so I waited until Monday to try to check in. Checking in wasn't too complicated in Manta. First, I, Greg, crossed the street and walked two minutes to the port captain's office, where they told me that I needed an agent. They gave me directions to one down the street. But I went back to the yacht club where I met Martin, who had come to Manta to discuss the problems with the pilot for Bahia Caraquez. After we met, he called the B.O.W. Agency for me, and set up a meeting at the club for that very afternoon. I met with the agent, gave him my paperwork, and he set up an appointment with all the officials to meet at the club the next day. Sure enough, the Port Captain, Immigration, and Customs folks — as well as my agent and an interpreter — showed up right on time. It took them about 40 minutes to fill out the paperwork. A boat stamp would have been very handy, as I had to sign four sets of 11 pages of forms! They took our passports, but left a phone number we could call in case we had a problem and needed them before they had time to stamp and return them. As it turned out, they returned our passports that very night, and we received our zarpe a couple of days later. In other words, we didn't have to go further than 200 feet to get our paperwork taken care of. The costs were as follows: $150 for the agent; $30 for Immigration — although others have been charged different amounts — and $6.84 for the Port Captain. There is also a light and buoy fee of $.73 a ton, but for some reason we weren't assessed that. On the other hand, when we later continued on to Bahia Caraquez, the port captain there charged us another $6.84 for his services. But big deal. As things now stand in Ecuador, you are supposed to have an agent to check you in and out of any port that has a port captain — which would mean an additional $150 each time. That's shades of the

bad old days in Mexico, but hopefully that will change in the near future. But the thing to remember is that you can have a great time in Ecuador based out of Bahia Caraquez. If you go there, Tripp will be your agent — although you'll still need to either make a $30 cab ride — or four $4 buses — to Manta in order to get your passports stamped. We ultimately crossed the bar and entered Bahia Caraquez without the aid of a pilot, but only because the pilot was going to be delayed even longer, and because we were given special permission. But crossing the bar without a pilot is something that I wouldn't recommend. As I explained in a December 'Lectronic, I screwed up my mental picture of the turns I had to make in order to get in, and ran aground. Fortunately, it was a soft bottom and we got off easy. We were really lucky. Former cruiser Tripp and his crew at Puerto Amistad are great hosts. The moorings are just $7/day, and every morning he gets on 69 to ask if anyone needs water — tap is $.50 and purified

Check out the colorful winter sunrise that is typical of Banderas Bay and much of coastal Mexico. With dawn temperatures in the mid-70s, no wonder folks such as Eugenie Russell, Commodore of the Punta Mita Yacht & Surf Club, and longtime sailing instructor at J/World Vallarta — love it.

is $1.75 for five gallons; laundry — $.35 per lb; propane — $6 up to 25 lbs.; gas — $2 gal.; and diesel — $1.50 gal. Everything is picked up at your boat and delivered back. They have a Whaler with a 100-gallon fuel tank, so we had them make several trips and bring us 240 gallons. So much for not being able to get diesel in Ecuador! However, Ecuador is not sure that they should be subsidizing the cost of fuel for American cruisers, so the diesel price might double from $1.50 to $3/gallon in the future. Speaking of prices, one pleasant surprise is that the price of everything is about half the cost of that in Costa Rica! In addition, you can have a young man clean and polish your boat for $7/day — and he'll be happy for the work. There is also much less theft in Ecuador than in Costa Rica. Our sailing in Ecuador has been the best we've had in 13 months! It's blown 8-16 knots from the southwest day and

night about 95% of the time. As such, we've done more overnighters here than ever before. Instead of rushing to get somewhere during the day, we leisurely do 40 to 70-mile passages at night, knowing it's going to blow all night. It's true that there are a lot of fishing boats, but the unlit smaller ones stay out of your way. As for the fishing, I've had hand lines out everyday we've been underway since California, and hadn't lost a lure in 6,000 miles — until we got down here. Then I lost eight lures in a 40mile stretch outside of Bahia. Killer fish? I don't know. Someone mentioned that there are lots of swordfish around here, which may explain the frayed

steel leader that I pulled in one day. As it is, I'll need to get a new supply of lures before we head across the Pacific. By the way, the surfing season is just starting down here, and I hear the waves are great and uncrowded. We'll be here until about March 1, at which time we'll set sail for the South Pacific. P.S. We loved Latitude's response to the 'Annual Ha-Ha Whiner's Letter' in the November issue. I've have been sailing the Sea of Cortez and mainland Mexico since '95, and have logged many thousands of miles on many boats, including doing the Ha-Ha on the Newport Beach-based Moontide in '05 and on Coco Kai in '06. It's been my experience that the 'whiners' are usually the ones "clogging the marinas" and who are doing very little, if any, serious sailing. We love Latitude, so please keep up the good work! — greg, jen and coco 11/26/07 Readers — Next month we'll have a letter from the Glesers of the Alamedabased Islander Freeport 41 describing their experiences clearing out of Ecuador. It was reminiscent of the bad old days in Mexico, nonetheless, they say they wouldn't have missed Ecuador for anything. Southern Cross — Angleman Ketch Rob & Lorraine Coleman More Fun At Fanning (Honolulu, Hawaii) We continue to be very active and having the time of our lives at Fanning Island, which is 900 miles southwest of Hawaii. On Friday night we went to the party at the Norwegian Cruise Line compound, where they served BBQ Rob at Fanning Island, one of those most at risk from global warming. Its maximum elevation? Just 10 feet. SOUTHERN CROSS

BOTH PHOTOS LATITUDE/RICHARD

IN LATITUDES

CHANGES steaks and potatoes! And wine! You don't normally find that stuff on Fanning. Then we dove the pass with the delivery crew of the 59-ft Free Range Chicken, during which time we saw manta rays, barracuda and other fish. We also had to hurry up and give a box of mail to Chicken to take to Hawaii for us. While doing this, we got 'stuck' having fresh tuna dinner with them and hearing great sea stories. Kawai, the cargo ship from Hawaii, also arrived today and started unloading, so there was a frenzy at the dock. We're going to wait a day or two until that's over. But they've offered us water, which is a good thing. It hasn't rained here since July. This weekend we attended the grand opening of Maneba, the Norwegian Cruise Line School. All the grammar school children sang, danced, and did skits. It was wonderful! We were the invited guests, and had the front row 'seats' — meaning new hand-woven pandanus mats on which we sat yoga style. When the presentation was over, the mats were gifted to us. Are there any women who enjoy all aspects of the cruising life more than Lorraine Coleman? It would be hard to imagine.

At noon there was a feast/feeding frenzy. Everyone brought a dish to include with all the others. Kathy and Jeff from Bold Spirit gave us 10 pounds of instant mix with which to make 200 pancakes, so we cooked them up the night before grand opening with our Kiribati family. We started with an open fire over an old stainless steel fuel tank, which turned out to make a very good griddle. When we served the pancakes the next day, they were gone in five frantic minutes. In addition, there was all the usual island food — fish, rice, octopus, and chickens. The chickens were gone in two minutes. One woman put a whole chicken on her plate! In addition, there were both fried and boiled breadfruit, corned beef, babai and, because they were in season, lots of papayas. Then it was time to twist — Kiribati rock 'n roll. Everyone — big, little, young, old — dances. We danced every dance and were quite the spectacle, so everyone wanted to dance with us. The dancing went on for two hours, at which point it was time for everyone to go home. So everyone climbed into the back of open trucks and rode down the copra road to the ferry landing. Then it was time to cross the pass in the overloaded 'ferry'. The ferry is an old aluminum landing craft powered by a 40-hp outboard, so it's not the kind of ferry people commute on across San Francisco Bay. The front of the ferry is broken, so the water rushes in over everyone's feet. That's quite an experience the first time, but we'd gotten used to it. There was singing on the ferry, just as there had been in back of the open trucks. Borau, our adopted Kiribati child, had a sleep-over on Southern Cross recently. He got to sleep in a sleeping bag in the cockpit on our new pandanus mats. Big fun! Borau eats our different food, does chores with us, swims and dives with us, loves listening to our music, and is experiencing a very different life on our boat. It's quite an education, as, for example, he found out that a boat is always work. We don't sleep all day! Yesterday Robbie caught another barracuda, while Borau and I dove in the pass with our spears. Borau and I speared the first lobster. He then climbed three trees to get drinking coconuts. The guys drank one on shore, then schlepped the rest back to the boat. By then I had the fish filleted and the lobster

cleaned, and it was time to eat. Delicious food! After lunch, Borau fell asleep, Robbie worked on the computer, and I did dishes and other chores. This was followed by another beautiful sunset. Borau would have loved to spend another night on Southern Cross, but it was time for him to return home as he had school the next morning. There is no Thanksgiving Day in Kiribati, but Robbie and I are thankful every day to be well, healthy and peaceful. We're out of bananas and are hoping to get some more, but that's about our biggest worry. — lorraine 12/06/07 Sea Angel — Peterson 44 Marc Hachey Bermuda To St. Martin (Auburn) It's sooooooooooo good to finally be back in warm weather! After sailing my boat from California to the Caribbean, then cruising six months a year here for many years, I decided to sell my boat last year. But when she hadn't sold by June, I decided to sail up to New England for the sum-

After a New England (top inset) spell where the water was cold, Marc was happy to return to the warm and blue Caribbean (lower inset).

mer. It can be cold up there! The last leg of our trip back down to the Caribbean was from Bermuda to St. Martin. It's 860 miles, and we covered it in 5.5 days. That's pretty good for Sea Angel, but the wind averaged 25 knots, except during squalls, which either caused the wind to increase or decrease for brief periods. But 95% of the time the wind was on our beam or aft of the beam — and mostly aft. As a result, we had mostly following winds and following seas, which made for fantastic sailing. The only downside was the 8 to 12-ft seas, which caused the boat to do a lot of rocking and rolling. Periodically we had waves break on the beam — and you wouldn't believe the explosive sound it made inside the hulls! If I didn't know how stout Sea Angel was built, I might have been a little worried. Other than the autopilot overheating one night, which resulted in an accidental jibe, we didn't have any damage that required repairs. I always put a preventer on when we're in following seas such as

we had, so there wasn't any damage. But I'd been down below and off watch when it happened, so I had to come on deck and straighten things out. The autopilot wouldn't work anymore, so we hand-steered for an hour in order to let it sort out its circuits. When we tried it again it worked fine — and did so all the way to St. Martin. That's a good thing, because the autopilot is our best crewmember. Anyway, it was great to make the passage without having to add to my existing 'fix-it' list. Upon our arrival at St. Martin, and before we were able to get the anchor down, an unlit local Coast Guard inflatable roared up alongside us. Then a boarding party of four men and one woman, in full uniform and wearing big black boots, boarded us. I especially hated the big black boots, as I have a 'no shoes to be worn on the boat' policy in the tropics. Naturally they wanted to check my paperwork, at which point three of the others

started 'inspecting' my boat. One of the officers who was down below with me began asking about our safety equipment, and wanted to see whether my flares were current. Fortunately, when I prepared to sail north from St. Thomas last June, I was given several flares, still in date, but just barely. The officer and I had a laugh, as their expiration date was November 30th, which meant they'd be out of date the following morning! The boarding party found everything to be in order on my boat. While they were fairly pleasant, and were done and gone in about half an hour, I nonetheless always find it stressful to have strangers go through my things. After they left, Robert and I proceeded to devour an entire ready-made lasanga that we'd started microwaving on our way into the bay. A short time later, we were crashed out in our bunks, sleep deprived after a somewhat stressful week of 'E-ticket' sailing. But like I said, it feels soooooooo good to finally be back in warm water. Now I can continue to chip away at my project and repair lists. With the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers fleet having recently arrived in St. Lucia, I may sail down there to try to find some crew for the winter. — marc 12/3/07 Snow Goose — Mapleleaf 50 Cherie Sogstie, Crew No Turkey On Turkey Day (Seattle) Having been anchored aboard the Mapleleaf 50 Snow Goose for a week at Isla Isabella, the 3.5-million-yearold bird sanctuary 75 miles north of Banderas Bay, the three of us — owner Mike McIntyre, my boyfriend Greg, and Isla Isabella is a bird sanctuary and, make no mistake, our many feathered friends take full advantage of its designation. CHERIE SOGSTIE

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY STEVE SIDELLS

IN LATITUDES

CHERIE SOGSTIE

CHANGES I â&#x20AC;&#x201D; decided that life aboard a boat revolves around activities and things that start with the letter 'S': sailing, snorkeling, snacking, and sunsets. I don't know why 'hiking' doesn't start with an 's', because we did a bunch of that, too. While ashore the previous day and about to start a hike, we ended up having frontrow seats at a big fight. It was a battle between iguanas. Two of the The locals can be a lit- huge lizards sank their jagged teeth tle on the noisy side. into each other's necks, then tried to rip through the other's scaly-skin. The winning iguana celebrated his victory by thrusting his head high to bask in the glory, and opened his mouth to reveal . . . a piece of the other iguana hanging from his lip. Ugh! The alpha iguana then gave me a look that said, "Don't mess with me, chica." I heeded his silent warning. With that, Capt. Mike, Greg, and I took off walking to Crater Lake and the far side of the small island. Once on the other side, I jumped into the warm Pacific and bobbed up and down in the warm, clear surf. I wore a smile that had come from somewhere very deep inside. While I was cooling off, Greg explored the beach, and found a jumble of stinky lines intermixed with plastic bottles. By the smile on Greg's face, I could tell that he might as well have stumbled upon a treasure chest. I was put on spider watch for the walk back to the other side of the island. My job was to lead our crew through the bush with a stick and displace any spiders blocking our path. Mike followed in the rear as the official Greg-untangler.

CHERIE SOGSTIE

Mexico is changing for the better. In the old days, the Isla Isabella beaches were lined with the carcasses of de-finned sharks.

Greg's new booty got caught on every other tree, and for some reason he seemed powerless to dislodge himself. Believing that I was doing such a good job of keeping our path spider free, I slipped into complacency. I was soon punished for slacking off by walking face-first into a web containing a spider that, based on the damn thing's red spikes, must have had a feature role in Arachnophobia. "Get that spider off me!" I screamed. "The spider's not on you, it's on your hat," Greg replied, giving me that lame look all guys give their overreacting girlfriends. "Get it off and we'll discuss the details later," I snipped. I was vigilant for spiders the rest of the way back, which is why I suppose a bird was able to crap on me. Given the combination of the high humidity, the spooky spiders, and the foul-smelling bird shit streaked across my face and neck, you'd have thought that I'd be over that island. But Isla Isabella is such an incredible place that I thought it was worth enduring such small annoyances. When we finished our hike by the fish camp, Greg presented the fisherman with his tangle of old line. They gave Greg the same kind of confused look I'd given him when he presented me with a lint-remover for Valentine's Day. I presume that Greg thought they'd be elated and would thrust freshly caught tuna in our hands. Alas, they just mumbled a confused, "Gracias". As we walked away, they probably shook their heads in bewilderment. I think I heard one of them softly say, "Loco gringos." Tired from the hike, we nonetheless couldn't resist a quick snorkel. We were quickly rewarded with the sight of a spotted eagle ray gliding by. As if that wasn't enough, thousands of small fish swarmed beneath us, so tightly schooled that they obscured our view of the bottom. A while later, we visited Neil Kaminer and the other folks on his Delawarebased Farr 58 Tribute. I was telling them a story of how we'd been given three red snapper by the local fishermen. Even though the fishermen didn't want anything in return, we handed them 20 pesos and a Costco-size bag of Halloween candy. Each fisherman took one small treat and then handed the bag back to us. "No, no," I said. "Todo

es para ustedes." Their smiles betrayed a mixture of shock and delight, as they realized that all the candy was for them. Our smiles were just as big, for all three snapper were just for us. As I was telling this story to the Tribute crew, one of them quietly interrupted me. "Excuse me," he said, "but there's a whale breeching behind you." Here's the thing â&#x20AC;&#x201D; whales trump everything. They are a wake-everyone-up, interruptthe-Pope kind of thing. You don't have to be polite when announcing a whale, because they are simply magnificent on every level. After all, you really have to marvel at an animal that has a penis that's bigger than my entire body. We weren't the only ones anchored at Isla Isabella. Among the others were Wayne Hendryx, Carol Baggerly and Mary Forrest on the Brisbane-based Hughes 45 Capricorn Cat; John Forbes, Shirlee Smith, and Martha Marie on the Sceptre 41 Solstice; David Addleman and Heather Corsario on the Monterey-based Cal 36 Eupsychia; Glenn Burch and Rick Laska of the Seattle-based gaff-schooner La Sirena; and Deloris and Lynn Bolkar

Greg and Cherie high above the little bay at Isla Isabella. Out in the middle of nowhere, it was a great spot for Thanksgiving.

and Steven and Jayce Flower of the big ferro ketch Endless Summer. As it was Thanksgiving, we gathered for a feast that none of us will soon forget. A lot of people think you can't have Thanksgiving without a turkey. Well, we had fish and enchiladas, and fish and crab, and fish and fish, and more fish. We also had freshly baked bread, delicious brownies and other stuff, but the one thing we didn't have was turkey. Big deal. At sunset, the crews — varying in age from 22-year-old Heather of Eupsychia to 70-year-old Lynn of Endless Summer — gathered on the bows and tramp of Capricorn Cat and, one by one, explained what they were most thankful for. Members of our group said they were thankful for everything from "finally" getting a watermaker to work to beating cancer. The meal and confessions brought us together as though we were family. While our families back home may have been squabbling about who brought

the best pie, who forgot the mashed potatoes, and the suitability of somebody's fiancée, the crews of our six boats at Isla Isabella stretched our arms toward the star-studded sky and gave thanks for simply being alive in such a place. — cherie 11/30/07 Cruise Notes: "We made it! We finished the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers a little after dark on December 12, the 101st of 227 boats that completed the 2,700-mile crossing," exalted James Eaton of the Belvedere-based Hallberg-Rassy 43 Blue Heron, the only West Coast boat that participated. "Our last day was wild and fast, as the wind gusted to 40 knots. We completed the event without any malfunctions or breakage — which is remarkable given the conditions. But then just after crossing the finish line, we had a malfunction with the roller furling, and had to drop the genoa on deck! Once we tied up at Rodney Bay Marina, we just had to take long showers and have dinner in a restaurant. To be honest, the food wasn't any better than we'd had onboard — but at least we didn't have to do the dishes!

"Unfortunately, there was a tragedy in this year's ARC," continues Eaton, "as John Thompson, the owner of the Oyster 41 Avocet, was hit in the head by the boom during a jibe, failed to regain consciousness, and died in a Barbados Hospital. He'd been rushed there by a diverted cruise ship. Avocet is due to arrive today with the owner's son and other crew still onboard. What a tragedy. Yesterday we had lunch with the Dutch captain of Scorpione dei Mari, a beautiful Jongert 95 that was sailed by the owner and three guests, plus a professional crew of four, and crossed the finish line first. The captain, who has sailed around the world five times, reports that they destroyed about $140,000 worth of sails on the crossing. Now that we've been in St. Lucia a bit, we've heard many stories of blown out sails, broken booms, and other damaged equipment, so we weren't overstating how rough the conditions were some of the time." According to the ARC website, Scorpione dei Mari was actually the 21st boat to finish, and in a rather pedestrian 15 days, 11 hours. In fact, Eaton's time with Blue Heron'— 17 days, 9 hours — was much better by comparison. The first boat to finish, in fact, was Bruce Dingwall's Southern Wind 80 Matelot, which crossed in 12 days plus a few minutes. The first of the 23 multihulls to finish was Julien Roudat's Lagoon 67 Perle Noire, which finished in 13 days, 1 hour, the fifth boat overall. That's quite a surprise given the fact that she's an older and heavier Lagoon. The last of the 227 boats to finish was Greg Feijen's Hallberg-Rassy 42 Cadans, which took Wyman Harris lands a 90-lb tuna during 'Blue Heron's' ARC. James Eaton will now head down to Trinidad for Carnival. BLUE HERON

COURTESY SNOW GOOSE

IN LATITUDES

22 days, 8 hours. For an interesting look at what kinds of boats the Europeans are rallying across the Atlantic — the smallest of which was Henry Adams' Ariel, a 25-ft Nordic Folkboat — google 'Atlantic Rally for Cruisers'. It makes for interesting reading. Earlier in Changes, we had a report on November's Virginia to British Virgin Islands Caribbean 1500 from Cici Saylor of the East Coast-based Brewer 52 Night Heron. Now, for the rest of the story. This year's 18th annual fleet included 69 boats, perhaps a little smaller than it would have been had they not established a new minimum length for monohulls of 45 feet. According to organizer Steve Black, the winds were a little light all the way for the fastest boats, a little heavy all the way for the slowest boats, and just perfect all the way for the middle boats. "All things considered," he laughed, "good weather." Boats in the 1500 rally are allowed to motor and take a penalty, and it was interesting to note that, on the average, they motored about 75 hours. A few used the iron donk much more than that. Gil and Joy Smith's Con

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• January, 2008

NIGHT HERON

CHANGES

Having endured some wild weather in the Caribbean 1500, CiCi of Two Harbors is now enjoying the wild colors of the Caribbean.

necticut-based Farr 50 pilothouse Joy For All was the first boat to finish, and well she should have been, as they motored 121 of her 178 total hours (7 days, 11 hours). She corrected out poorly.

The fastest boat on corrected time was Alan Coren's New York-based Jeanneau 43DS The Four C's, which finished in just 214 hours (8 days, 22 hours), having motored just 34 hours, one of the lowest amounts in the fleet. Well done! Although they weren't in the same class, there was an interesting cruising catamaran battle between Hammer, Tom Robinson's Virginia-based high-tech, all carbon Gunboat 48 that rated -48, and Phil Gilihan's Virginia-based Parallax, one of the very few Corsair 3600 catamarans ever built, and which rated a much slower 78. Despite having motored 45 hours more, the inherently much faster Hammer only finished 15 hours in front of Parallax. It would be interesting to know what happened to the Gunboat, as one of the crew was Bill Biewenga, who in addition to being a great guy, is an excellent sailor — and an even better weather router. "We recently heard from Kanji and Mieko Suehiro, who, like us, did the very first Baja Ha-Ha back in '94," write Rob and Mary Messenger, who did it with

PAXIL

IN LATITUDES the 45-ft Maude I. Jones. "Believe it or not, Kanji and Mieko have been cruising their Alameda-based Fuji 36 Blue Fantasy ever since! The boat is now in Malaysia. The couple decided that Blue Fantasy had gotten a little tired, so they just bought a Pacific Seacraft 37 in Annapolis, and are having it trucked to San Francisco Bay. Here's what they wrote to us recently: "Our new boat is supposed to arrive this week, but meanwhile we've been spending an alarming amount of money at West Marine. Other than nautical stuff, Mieko is busy getting household stuff ready so that we can live aboard. But it's really a waste, since we have all this stuff on our other boat! Nonetheless, we just can't wait for our new-to-us boat to arrive. We're like kids waiting for Christmas. It's a feeling we haven't had for a long time, and I thank God that we're lucky enough to be experiencing it again." "As for Rob and me," continues Mary, we're on Chub Cay in the Bahamas working on boats for the foreseeable future.

Jimmy Buffet is on the island for two days with a couple of his buddies." You know how bad whales' breath is? Well, take it from Jeffrey, Patti and Phoebe Critchfield of the Brickyard Cove-based Beneteau Oceanis 423 Paxil, there's something much worse. "While the whale was rubbing against our boat, he'd exhale out his blowhole, showering us with water and the stench of dead fish. But then he took a dump — it was much worse — and by far!" "Rumors are flying around in the back of the pack of boats making their way down the coast of Baja that there are anchoring fees of up to $160 at Cabo San Lucas," write Emmy Newbould and

This just in — there's something worse than whale's breath. It's brown, it boils to the surface, and it smells much, much worse.

Eric Wilbur of the Zephyr Cove, Nevadabased Flying Dutchman Nataraja, who are headed to the South Pacific for the second time with the same boat. "Now that sounds outrageously wrong, but for some reason wouldn't surprise us. We know the slip fees are way up there, and that there is a fee to pick up a mooring,

January, 2008 •

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but to anchor?! We'd planned to stop at Cabo to check in, but if we had to pay to anchor, we'd probably continue on to La Paz. Can you tell us if this report is true?" Like a lot of rumors on the cruising circuit, it's absolutely not true. Some of the developed ports in Mexico have APO port fees, but they're only about $1 a day. And because the clearing procedures have been changed, there isn't always a way for officials to collect such fees in all ports. Want affordable health care? Go cruising in Mexico. Gillian, who did the Ha-Ha this year with her husband John Foy on their Alameda-based Catalina 42 Destiny, developed a badly infected and inflamed elbow after sailing from Cabo to Punta Mita. Having gotten a look at it, we urged her to get treatment at a Puerto Vallarta hospital immediately. You never want those infections to get systemic. After a 'ranch doctor' attempt to drain the infection using a 'sterilized' hunting knife, Gillian took our advice the next morning. There are several good U.S.-style hospitals in Puerto Vallarta, and she chose Amerimed next to Marina

LATITUDE/RICHARD

CHANGES

Gillian is as fun-loving as they come, but even she appreciates good medical care such as she received at Amerimed Hospital.

Vallarta. To say that she was thrilled with the facility, the doctors, and the treatment — and to not have to wait for hours as in an American hospital — would be an understatement. The doctors took an

X-ray, drained the wound, tested to see what kind of infection it was, gave her antibiotics, and bandaged her up. The toal cost? Just $90, or about the price of an aspirin at a stateside hospital. "We spent last winter in the Virgins, then sailed via Haiti — which was great — to the northwest Caribbean to get away from what we thought would be the majority of the hurricane threats," write Mike and Karen Riley of the Coronadobased Dickerson 41 ketch Beausoleil. "What a joke that strategy was! But if anyone is coming this way, they should put Isla Vache, Haiti, on their 'must visit' list. In return for $20 worth of pencils and pens, plus a basketball, they filled our cockpit with veggies and fruit. Oh yeah, we fixed the town pump for them, too. But if you do visit, don't even think of clearing into Haiti. And don't worry, the locals will tell you where to hide on the other side of the island. We'll be leaving for the Canal soon, and it will be great to be back in the Pacific — and the land of Latitude 38!" "In response to the editor's request," Mike continues, "I'll review our sailing

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Latitude 38

• January, 2008

history, as I realize that it's been a few years. My first circumnavigation was aboard my engineless Columbia 24 Tola. Sounds radical, doesn't it? It wasn't. I lowered the cabintop 15 inches — it was the Weekender model — before I left Coronado, then extended the cabin into the cockpit — an easy modification — to increase the room down below and reduce the volume of water the cockpit could hold in the event of a knockdown. I would later add a four-foot-long bowsprit in Sri Lanka. I met Karen in Rabual, Papua New Guinea, where I was hiding from tropical cyclones and she was teaching school. We fell in love, married in Australia's Northern Territories, sailed across the Indian Ocean, went up the Red Sea and through the Suez Canal, and had our son, Falcon, in Malta. We continued across the Atlantic and Caribbean, and came up through the Sea of Cortez, where we briefly met the Wanderer/Publisher of Latitude at Sea of Cortez Sailing Week. That was the year he was on his Olson 30 Little O, wrecked his back, and had to be flown home on a stretcher in the back of an Aero Mexico

plane. We eventually sold Tola in Hawaii and, after nine months of serious hard work, purchased our Dickerson 41 Beausoleil. We took our new boat around the world via Panama and the Cape, three years of which we spent 'em-bayed' on the Eastern Shore of Maryland while Falcon — how time flies — completed high school. During that time Karen worked for Hinckley Yachts and I drove a car ferry. Falcon is now attending college in San Diego and, as I mentioned, we're on our way to the Pacific. We plan to head up to the Sea of Cortez. We're still on Beau and very happy with her, even after being rammed by a whale, enduring the eyes of several Category 5 hurricanes, and all the normal wear and tear. In the meantime, life is good out here, but we need more parties. So our

LATITUDE/RICHARD

IN LATITUDES

'Bronco', as seen going the in 'right' direction — meaning down to Mexico — during the '95 Ha-Ha. Nels can make that ketch go!

advice to everyone is, drop those dock lines and come and join us! We're hoping to see the Rileys at Sea of Cortez Sailing Week once again, as we've reviving that in early April. See Sightings for details. And by the way, we don't care what Mike says, we still think circumnavigating with a Columbia 24 Weekender, modified or not, is pretty radical. "Three crew and I departed El Cid

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Latitude 38

• Page 199

LATITUDE/ANDY

CHANGES Marina in Mazatlan on December 1 to bring my Out-Island 41 Bronco back to Northern California," writes Nels Toberson. "The best sailing we had of the whole trip was the first night and day — we even got to use the spinnaker for about eight hours. It got pretty rough the night before we arrived in Cabo, and that was it for Christina, who got off. She thought we'd be doing a nice daysail each day and then be in port at night. After taking on fuel and water, the three of us remaining set out for 420-mile-distant Turtle Bay. We had a few hours of wind and waves, but it was mostly a good motorboat trip. The crew wanted to spend some time in Turtle Bay, so we did — four days. With the cell phone and internet reception, we got enough good weather information to make the next 360-mile leg to San Diego. We left Turtle Bay and, against my wishes, travelled up the back side of Cedros, arriving at the north end in the afternoon. The little anchorage had several mooring buoys and one panga. We spent a rolly night there. But we didn't get bad weather until 100 miles from San Diego, when the wind and waves on

On an impulse, Nels decided to shoulder the entire load of delivering 'Bronco' the last 444 miles home from Mazatlan.

the nose slowed us and gave us a rough ride. With one of the crew not able to recover from a cold, I spent a night at the San Diego Police Dock, during which time I noticed that there was a weather

window to San Francisco. I made the scary decision to try do the last 444 miles to San Francisco by myself. I was to have two anxious periods. The first was halfway from the Channel Islands to Conception about dark, when the wind came up on the nose. I had a long and difficult rounding of Conception, but was rewarded with good weather passing Pt. Sur. Then, while I was west of Monterey Bay in the middle of the night, the wind came up to 25 knots and gusted to 40. This was isolated wind that came without warning or reason. By morning the wind was light again, but there was still a large swell. The rest of the passage to the Golden Gate was quite good, and I made it to my berth before the most recent storm hit. I only had a few problems with Bronco. Right after I left El Cid, the AC generator would shut down right after it was started because it was getting hot. This was potentially serious, as Bronco depends on AC power. I will never go to sea again without a backup inverter. After several hours and trying many fixes, we got it running fine again and

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IN LATITUDES it still runs great. We just don't know why. Then the main engine couldn't run on fuel from the main tank — meaning there were 60 gallons we couldn't use. Then I discovered an air leak in the suction side of the tank. I replaced the hose and the problem was solved. I also had to replace a galley light. I'm happy that Bronco and I are home, but I'm very tired. Nonetheless, my 'house' is moving, so I need to go out in the rain and tighten the docklines." "Debby and I just got back from a land trip to Zihua, and can report that everything is still grand," writes Tim Tunks of the Marina del Rey-based Islander 37 Scallywag. "We stayed at the Sotovento Hotel, where some 15 years ago, Latitude's Ocean 71 Big O spent an entire spring moored in their 'front yard'. From our vantage point we had a good view of arriving cruisers. Two I recognized were Neriad, a Hans Christian 43 ketch that had been our berth neighbor in La Paz one summer about a

Nothing is for certain, but it appears that protests may have spelled doom for the nutty idea of ruining Zihau Bay with a cruise ship pier.

dozen years ago, and a junk-rigged Colvin schooner, sistership of the beautiful Joss and Migrant. One summer, John Kelly, who is now cruising the South Pacific aboard his Seattle-based Sirena 38 Hawkeye, and I helped the owner, a retired dentist named Bill, sail Migrant from Tonga to Fiji. Bill and I continued to cruise Fiji for another week or two where, in return for his pulling a tooth or two at small family villages, we were treated like kings. Oh, the great memories! The great news in Zihua is that there's a big sign that reads, 'No', to the construction of a cruise ship pier that has been proposed to extend from the fisherman's

beach near the zocalo far out into the center of the bay, which would ruin the very thing that makes Zihua so appealing. It's hard to tell, but the protests may have been successful. Also reporting from Zihua is Jim Carpenter of Rick's, which is the cruiser center in Zihua. "Although it's early December, about 10 cruising boats have already trickled in," he writes, "with another 30 on their way. A bunch of them were held up by high winds in the Sea of Cortez, so maybe next year's group will learn to head south a little earlier. Anyway, the weather here has been awesome, and we're ready for the cruisers. Nathaniel, the dinghy valet, is back on duty for the season, offering his much appreciated services. Our wifi is up and running, but we had to impose restrictions yesterday because so many people with wifi phones were locking it up. Cruise ships are coming in at the pace of two a week, saving the butts of local merchants until the cruisers arrive in force. Naturally all the locals have been

January, 2008 •

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up in arms about the proposed cruise ship pier, and I suspect the government won't go against their wishes. As soon as a few more cruisers arrive, we'll put together a committee for SailFest and get started on that." Let's make sure that nobody cruising south of the border forgets that Zihua SailFest is the big cruiser fundraiser in Mexico, and that this year's 7th annual SailFest will be from January 29th through February 3rd. Last year cruisers raised an astonishing $47,000, which, thanks to matching funds, climbed to almost $95,000, most of which went to the construction of the Nueva Creaciones School and 12 other local school projects. In addition to cruisers doing hands-on work at the schools, raising money, and enjoying many social activities, there's also a fun pursuit race. Don't miss it. Zihua SailFest depends on an almost entirely new group of cruiser volunteers each year, so if this is your year, please don't forget to step up to the plate. Once you see what you've helped do, you'll never forget it. For more information and photos from previous years, visit www.

LATITUDE/RICHARD

CHANGES

This is the weather center report aboard 'Profligate' at dawn on December 8 at Punta Mita, Mexico. Perrrrrrrrfect!

zihuasailfest.com. What a difference 300 miles makes — even in Mexico during the winter. With other commitments preventing Bill Lilly from being able to bring his Newport

Beach-based Lagoon 470 Moontide down to Banderas Bay for the Pirates for Pupil's Banderas Bay Blast, he reported that the high temperature in La Paz on a day in early December was just 60 degrees. Northers can really drop the temperature everywhere in the Sea of Cortez. Meanwhile, down in Banderas Bay, it had consistently been 85 degrees during the day and 75 at night — meaning no sheets were necessary. The evening temps on Banderas Bay dropped to requiring a light blanket at night by mid December, but the days were still as warm as anybody could want. "We're still having a great time 'commuter cruising' in Mexico," report '04 Ha-Ha vets Jeannette Heulin and Anh Bui of the Emeryville-based Bristol 32 Con Te Partiro. "We're in Nuevo Vallarta now, having spent two years enjoying the Sea of Cortez. But now we have to wait for our next vacation to continue further south. The problem with commuter cruising, of course, is finding places to leave our boat for two to three months at a time. We started this season by leaving

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Latitude 38

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IN LATITUDES Mazatlan on October 28th, which is a bit early, but we wanted to beat the Ha-Ha crowd to Banderas Bay to get a berth. We had an idyllic two-week sail down. We spent three days at Isla Isabella, and also visited San Blas, Punta Mita, and La Cruz before settling in at Nuevo. We never saw another boat the entire way. Did you know that there is a French restaurant in La Cruz that, if you ask, will prepare a proper steak tartare? It's Le Rêve — which means 'The Dream' in French — Restaurant, Café and Concert Venue at 66 Coral. It was formerly the Hikuri Cafe. And as we're French, we're glad to see those crazy Frenchmen are back at chasing the singlehanded and crewed around-the-world records once again." Neither fish nor fowl. Ray Durkee of the Alameda-based Tartan 37 Velera got a job as a harbormaster at Castine, Maine, and had two years to get there with his boat. "The trip was okay," he writes, "but I didn't really have the right attitude or schedule. Since I'd given myself two seasons to get from San Francisco to

Maine, mine was a cross between a cruise and a delivery. And as you surely know, those are different mindsets that are in complete conflict with each other. As a result, every time I'd come to a really great place — Chacala, Mexico, the beaches near Huatulco, Drakes Bay in Costa Rica, the Perlas and San Blas in Mexico — I'd seem to get a really great weather window and would have to get some miles behind me. It's a baaaaad concept for cruising. Anyway, the highpoint was a month I spent in the San Blas Islands — even though I didn't have a watermaker! But it was a great experience, and I want to thank Latitude for its part in inspiring it. I've been reading the magazine since you started it as

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sneakaboards at Clipper Yacht Harbor in Slezalito. Jimmy Buffett's sailboat was in our harbor here at Castine again for the summer, but I never did see him. But Eric Clapton is a regular. The swimming sucks here because the water is so cold, but with the possible exception of the San Blas Islands, we have the best cruising that I've ever seen." In the past, we've gotten good reports about Polynesia Yacht Services, and a

Expires 1/31/2008

January, 2008 •

Latitude 38

• Page 203

lot of cruisers heading toward French Polynesia wonder if their fees — which aren't cheap — aren't nonetheless cost effective. For their fee, PYS has someone meet your boat in the Marquesas with all the paperwork — including the visas and port captain papers. That's a very nice convenience. In addition, those who use the company's services don't have to post the bond, which for some boats can be thousands of dollars. And you always lose money on that exchange. But perhaps the biggest money-saver is being able to buy fuel at $3.50/gal. as opposed to the regular price of $7/gal. If you're going to be topping off with 150 gallons, that's a $300 savings right there. For more details — and mind you, Latitude is not necessarily recommending them — google 'Polynesia Yacht Services'. Mike Harker had hoped to make it around the world in time with his Hunter Mariner 49 Wanderlust 3 to attend the New Year's Eve festivities at St. Barth, French West Indies. Alas, the determined sailor, whose Lake Arrowhead home burned in the recent wildfires, ended up running behind schedule and won't

COURTESY WANDERLUST 3

CHANGES

With Mike Harker having now turned 60, we suppose we can cut him a little slack for taking a little more than 11 months to go around.

make it in time. Nonetheless, the daughters of some local friends threw him a little party for his 60th birthday just a few days before setting sail up the Atlantic. Harker should finish his circumnavi-

gation, much of it singlehanded, by early February, which means his boat will be displayed at the Miami Boat Show. "The Roatan YC in Roatan, Honduras, is decent, the docks are all right, and the staff is friendly," reports formerAlameda-then-St. Martin resident Jerry Blakeslee of the St. Maarten, Netherland Antilles-based NAB 38 Islomania. "The place is currently undergoing a change in ownership, so the bar and restaurant aren't open. But there are lots of fringe benefits that come with the $250/month berths — including cable tv, free wireless internet, a swimming pool, a pool table, and free ice, water, and electricity. They do, however, charge extra for electricity if you have an air-conditioner. Unlike most of the Caribbean, they have full-length docks, not the Med-moor arrangements you see at most places. Space is limited, so contact them via email well in advance if you're looking for a slip. The marina is also conveniently located near the largest super mercado on the island, as well as banking. About the only downside is that the water in the marina is sometimes

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Latitude 38

• January, 2008

dirty with oil, thanks to the fishing and other commercial boats in the general area. After another 10 days here, Cay Hickson and I will be off to Guatemala's Rio Dulce for a haulout, bottom paint job and some other minor repairs." "I'm writing this on my 61st birthday, but January 4 will be my 27th Alcoholics Anonymous birthday," writes a reader from Mexico. "My demographic is all over Mexico, both cruising and fueling the real estate boom. Most of these people are truly responsible with alcohol, nonetheless, booze has been a problem for a certain percentage of people since the beginning of time. I'd like to let everyone know that there are AA meetings where English is spoken all over Mexico. For example, they have them at the El Patio restaurant in Melaque on Wednesdays and Sundays at 5 p.m., at the Rincon restaurant in La Manzanilla on Fridays at 6 p.m., and many, many other places. Just ask around. The meetings are well attended, both by newcomers and people with years of sobriety. I've been to AA meetings all over the world,

and these are some of the best." It's been our observation that the number of cruisers with drinking problems in Mexico has dropped dramatically in the last 15 years or so. Nonetheless, it can still be a real problem for some, as it's easy for drinking to find too great a role in the cruising life. Just to be on the safe side, we suggest that all drinkers take a two-week or so break from alcohol from time to time, just to make sure it's not getting away from you. As for those of you who attend AA meetings, we have the highest respect for you. The last photo in this month's Changes is of something we hate to see — the apparent death throes of a vessel. "We've seen the converted tug Justine doing charters down here in La Paz for the last year," writes John van Strien of

LECTRONIC/RICHARD

IN LATITUDES

Could this be the sad and ignominious end to 'Justine', which has been chartering in the Sea of Cortez for the last year or so?

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(510) 981-6740 Fax (510) 981-6745

www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/marina Fuel Dock • Boat Yard • Chandlery • Yacht Club Sailing Club • Four Terrific Restaurants January, 2008 •

Latitude 38

• Page 205

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y s s a Cl C LASSIFIEDS

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FATTY KNEES, LYLE HESS DESIGN. 7-ft sailing dinghy, $700. 9-ft sailing dinghy, $1,100. Glass, oars/locks, both with sailing gear. 7-footer, call (415) 479-1832. 9-footer, call (415) 924-2232.

24 FEET & UNDER SANTANA 22. Well cared for, nice interior, spinnaker, depth. Well organized by competent owner. Bottom job just done at Berkeley Marine Center 10/07. $3,000 with Honda 2BF or $2,500 with Johnson 6 hp. (415) 505-7011.

Mail (or bring) to:

Latitude 38

Attn: Classified Dept 15 Locust Ave, Mill Valley, CA 94941 Questions?: (415) 383-8200, ext 104 • class@latitude38.com RANGER 26, 1974. Great condition. Only $4,900/obo. Santa Cruz, CA, Lower Harbor. 9.5-hp Johnson outboard motor, runs good. Sails: Standard main, 120 roller furling, storm jib, depthsounder, VHS. Must see this well-kept beauty. Call Bruce (831) 476-4259.

25 TO 28 FEET PEARSON 26, 1973. The perfect boat for singlehanded sailing. Well equipped and well built. Harken roller furling, Lewmar self-tailing winches, 5-year-old North sails, Doyle StackPack makes it a snap to stow the sails, 9.9-hp 4-stroke Nissan, cockpitmounted throttle controls for added safety and visibility. The Pearson 26 has an excellent reputation for stability in heavy weather. A pleasure to sail on your own or with a crew. A very nice boat for a nice low price: $4,000. Loch Lomond Marina in San Rafael. See pictures at: <http://www.flickr. com/photos/21773152@N07/sets/> Call Jacob (415) 789-1042 or email: jacob53@ yahoo.com.

Naval Architect • Yacht Delivery Skipper

Accredited Marine Surveyor (SAMS) • • • Bay or Delta • No Travel Charges • • • All major credit cards accepted • (415) 531-6172

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18th at 5 pm of the month prior to publication.

Due to our short lead time, deadlines are very strict and include weekends & holidays. • No ads without payments • No billing arrangements • No ads accepted by phone or fax • No verification of receipt • We reserve the right to refuse poor quality photos or illegible ads.

SANTANA 525, 1978. Two-part poly paint, Teflon bottom. New mainsail, new 85, new interior, new mainrig/traveler/boomkicker/ lazyjacks. New 6-hp Nissan, great singleaxle trailer. Dry sail slot at Svendsens, Alameda. Ready for 10 years of service. $7,000. (928) 208-3822. CATALINA 27, 1976. Very tidy, 2 outboards: 15-hp Mercury recently serviced and 4-hp Suzuki. Furling jib, good sails, recent windows/keel bolts/marine battery. Surveyed May 2007. Treasure Island berth. Ready to race or simply for leisure. $8,000. (510) 299-2001 or gsalisbury@ xyratex.com.

SCHOCK 23, 1987. Wing keel. New FB main, 130 North genoa, asymmetrical spin, tillerpilot, Garmin 168, Yamaha 9.9 electric start, pop-top, trailer with extension tongue. All great condition. Much more. $10,500. Call (503) 873-5607 or (503) 559-3661.

Rigging Electronics Troubleshooting jdsyachts@att.net (510) 919-0001 Electrical Installations MARINE SURVEYS by Captain Alan Hugenot

• January, 2008

Camera-ready art OK No photos/reversals No Extra Bold type Not to exceed 12 pt font Artwork subject to editor approval.

All ads will be set to fit Latitude 38 standard. Re-Run Ads: Same price, Same deadline.

Yacht Services

Latitude 38

All promotional advertising 1 boat per broker per issue

‘Trying to Locate’ Ads

Jack D. Scullion

Page 206 •

$70 for 40 Words Max

Searching for People: $10 for 20 Words Max

1997 LASER, SLI-MANUFACTURED, Clean condition, good rig, standard and radial, Seitec dolly. Can be seen at Richmond Yacht Club by appointment. $2,500. Also 1976 model but still good sailer for $1,200. Email: chrisg26.2@gmail.com.

310 ZODIAC RIB WITH COVER. 15-hp Yamaha, very low hours. Comes with trailer. $3,600/obo for all. (415) 383-1985.

$40 $65 $90 $20 $30

• Personal Advertising Only • No Business/promotional ads except Non-Profit, Job/Biz Op.

DINGHIES, LIFERAFTS AND ROWBOATS

PORTA-BOTE, 10.5-FT folding boat and 5-hp Nissan 2-stroke outboard. Included: Motor gas tank, life jackets, anchor, Portadolly transporter and oars. Boat/motor purchased new in 1995. Both in good shape. Ready to go for $800. Questions please call (510) 441-1240; if machine answers please leave message. For information and pictures about Porta-Bote visit <http://www.porta-bote.com/>

Business Ads

Personal Ads

SKOL, ERICSON 27 FOR SALE. Good looking, great sailing boat. Atomic 4 that purrs. Everything in working order. Mainsail, jib, spinnaker, replacements. Built 1974, winner 1982 Regional Championship; could easily capture a winter series. $7,500. (415) 460-1106.

CONTESSA 26 FG FULL KEEL world cruiser. Custom installed 4-stroke Honda 12-hp inboard saildrive. New heavy-duty cruising sails and running rigging. Nearnew standing rigging. Trans Pac? $9,200. Call (510) 499-9211.

SANTA CRUZ 27 for sale or trade for ? Fantastic Bay boat. Complete sail inventory including main, 3 jibs, spinnaker, blooper. Recent in-water survey. No outboard. Asking $7,500. Photos/info/ survey: <www.spinnaker-sailing.com/ SC27forsale.htm> (415) 543-7333. CATALINA 27, 1978. Custom teak interior, dinette model, 2-burner alcohol stove, 110v refrigerator, phone/cable and 110vac inlets. Atomic 4 engine, runs great, includes freshwater flush. Battery charge system, VHF radio, 2 anchors, rain roof, sail cover and much more. $9,500. (415) 331-2044.

Online and home study courses in all areas of marine navigation and weather

2004 MacGREGOR 26M power sailer. Excellent condition, fully loaded, stored in dry dock for two years. Approved 70hp 4-stroke outboard, sleeps 6. $25,990. Contact Dan or Jeff at Arena in Loch Lomond (415) 456-2644.

More than 25,000 students since 1977

(800) 955-8328 • www.starpath.com

CHART SAVINGS UP TO 75% HIGH DEFINITION PRINTS • 256 INCREDIBLE SHADES! Worldwide • Sample Chart $7.95 • Affordable E-Chart back-ups Bellingham Chart Printers Division, TIDES END LTD., PO Box 397L, Shaw Island, WA 98286

800-643-3900 • fax: 360-468-3939 • www.tidesend.com • sales@tidesend.com

MERIT 25. Race and cruise ready. Two new mains, new 70% and 100% jibs, spinnaker, screecher. Hauled 3/07. Jiffy reefing, Nissan 3.5 hp, new cushions. $6,500/obo. John (510) 750-2258.

IRWIN 30 CITATION SLOOP, 1977. Yanmar engine, new sails, roller furling, many more recent upgrades. Possible Sausalito berth. New bottom paint 10/2/07. Asking 10,500/obo. Call (415) 302-1960 or email: jim.gagnon@comcast.net,

O’DAY 34, 1984. Well maintained. Great Bay and coastal cruiser. Yanmar 3YM30, 500 hours. Roller furling, wheel steering, Autohelm, radar, GPS, VHF, WHAM, hot and cold water, LP stove. $31,000. (916) 920-4423.

CAL 31, 1980. New mast, standing and running rigging, full batten main, 5 headsails, spinnaker, wheel steering, 16-hp Universal diesel, feathering propeller, propane stove, pressure water, bottom painted 5/2007, VHF, depth, speed. Asking $19,900. Ventura. Call (805) 701-5622 or email:mike@vhby.com.

COLUMBIA 34 Mk II, 1972. Solid boat, good condition. In Moss Landing Harbor, a hidden gem in Monterey Bay. Upwind slip in highly desired North Harbor, near Elkhorn Yacht Club. Excellent, very roomy interior as ‘cabin-in-the-mountain’ or for liveaboard. Fully functional: Radar, tillerpilot, new VHF and stereo, 2 water tanks, brand new holding tank, refrigerator, hot water (AC). Roller furling jib, dodger, depthsounder, 2 anchors. $22,500. Contact: mistral_x@msn.com or (408) 375-1998.

29 TO 31 FEET RAWSON 30, 1981. Unbelievable deal. We equipped her, sailed down to Mexico, and now we must sell. She is a spacious, strongly built, bluewater cruiser with GPS, watermaker, fridge, Monitor windvane and much more. Sitting in LaPaz, waiting to go. We have a new baby or we’d still be sailing. Paid $40,000. Sell for $20,000/firm. Call Jay (604) 617-1436. PACIFIC SEACRAFT MARIAH 31, 1979. Factory-finished liveaboard cruiser, double Pullman berth, no sleeping in the forepeak. Major refit in 2000, extremely well found, lovingly maintained. Lying Mazatlan. $65,000/obo. For specs and photos email: jhallorion@netzero.net.

NONSUCH 30, 1982 CLASSIC. Hard dodger, autopilot, anchor windlass, all chain rode. 4-cyl Westerbeke with Vdrive, 2,000 hours. Force 10 propane cabin heater, Paloma demand water heater. New aluminum propane tanks with crossover. Electric main halyard windlass. Propane stove with oven. New Sunbrella cabin cushions, vinyl cockpit cushions, interior refinished. Lee cloths, all berths and jacklines, new sail cover. Located Richmond, CA. $49,000. (925) 934-1580 or dwheeler94598@hotmail.com. OLSON 30, 1983. FAMILY HOUR. Turnkey boat. Stiff hull and all class-approved stiffeners. Clean. Double spreader rig. 22 bags of sails. Keel and rudder faired. Numerous upgrades. Trailer. One of the most winning Olsons on Bay. $20,000/ obo. (925) 934-6926. NEWPORT 30, 1985. New mainsail, wheel steering, Universal diesel, Harken furling, new upholstery. Solid bay boat. Needs some TLC. $14,000. Stephen (775) 782-2584.

Marine Architecture

WILLARD 30, 1976. Crealock world cruiser, Baja Ha-Ha vet. Perkins 4-108, full keel, great liveaboard, Raymarine autopilot, radar/chartplotter, Lofrans windlass, lots more gear. Biggest 30-footer you’ll ever see. $34,500. <http://willard30. blogspot.com> (408) 887-3103.

PEARSON 32 RACER/CRUISER, 1979. $22,000. Original M-15 Universal diesel. Gear (about 1995): Autopilot, digital depthfinder and gauge, gennaker, Harken furler, Navtek backstay adjuster, Quik Vang, radar, WM Loran-C, 25w marine radio. New: 19-gal aluminum fuel tank, batteries, electric fuel pump. Documentation: All original manuals, 1995 surveys, log, maintenance, add-ons, diving, haul records since my 1995 purchase. Location: Alameda. Suggestion: Please see Aug. 2007 Practical Sailor before calling. Fast, easily singlehanded cruising boat for couple; not a motel. (510) 525-2754.

EXPRESS 34. Locomotion is seriously for sale. Your chance to own one of Carl’s best designs. Successful Puget Sound race record. Many upgrades prior to 2006 Pacific Cup. New rod, sails, charging system. Spec sheet available. Asking $73,500. Call (425) 765-2456 or ebmorgan50@yahoo.com.

Marine Construction

Custom Interiors Exterior Joinery

36 TO 39 FEET CAL 39, 1979. Excellent condition and loaded with new upgrades and extras, list available. Monitor windvane, dodger, bimini. Beautiful clean interior. Great engine and sails. Ready to cruise or sail the Bay. Sausalito slip possible. $77,000. Call (415) 846-6919 or sailonbaby@gmail.com. ISLANDER 36, 1977. Perkins 4-108, new rigging 2002, 2 self-tailing Harken 44s, 2 self-tailing Barlow 25s. Dodger, covers, holding tank, macerator, propane stove/ oven, radar, chartplotter, VHF, bowroller, 2 anchors/chain and rode, carpets/curtains, Avon/ob. Alameda Marina #204. $55,000/ obo. Arnie (415) 999-6751 (cell) or (415) 383-9180 (hm) or email: arnoldgallegos@ comcast.net.

32 TO 35 FEET

oc hu John Seward Millerick Bros. Coast Marine re Av 105 Edison Ave. aila PO Box 357, Cotati, CA 94931 ble Corte Madera, CA 94925 (707) 829-2507 (415) 924-0429 • nims65@gmail.com (707) 823-1954 (fax) Yacht Repair Design / Consulting

C&C 35.5 Mk II, 1974. Restored Yanmar GM30F, 320 hours. 6 Lewmar ST winches, full sails, new asymmetrical spinnaker, survey/bottom paint 10/07. Autopilot, radar, Newport heater, new panel/wiring throughout. Electric windlass, sin inverter, charger, etc. Cruise ready, beautiful. Visit: <http://web.mac.com> $41,000. (510) 798-3617.

HUNTER 340, 2001. New chartplotter/radar/GPS. Optima batteries. New dodger. 20” flat TV/DVD. Autohelm, roller jib, full-batten main, lazyjack. 27-hp Yanmar, wind/speed/depth instruments, windlass. New bottom paint. $82,000. Call (707) 647-2693 or jhsuds@juno.com.

DOWNEAST 32 CUTTER, 1977 in fair condition. Needs bowsprit repair, paint, varnish. Good mechanical condition. Have Stalocs and wire for standing rigging. Mast is lowered on deck, ready to truck. Located in Santa Cruz, slip not included. $18,000/offer. (510) 912-8946.

CLASSIC LAPWORTH DESIGN L-36. 36-ft LOA, mahagony hull. In water and sailing, good sails, great-running Yanmar 3-cyl diesel. Needs paint, varnish, some woodwork projects. $8,700/obo. (707) 964-0958.

WESTSAIL 32, 1976. $35,000. For sale in SE Asia. Hasse Port Townsend mains’l, stays’l, spinnaker. Perkins 4-108, 2,500 hours, runs great, new heat exchanger. Contact seller for complete inventory and more photos. Read about 4-year voyage: <www.micoverde.com> Email: mywestsail@gmail.com. 1965 CHEOY LEE LION. Fiberglasshulled sloop/cutter. Roller furling, serviceable main, dodger and full covers. Propane stove and H2O heater. Yanmar diesel with 500 hours. Too much to list. $35,000/obo. Call or email for more details. (707) 688-2314 or webmaster@ deltamarina.com. CATALINA 320, 2006. Almost new. 53 hours on Yanmar engine, ultra-leather interior, dodger, cockpit cushions/table. 8” LCD RAY C80 chartplotter, RAY 60 wind/knot/depth/repeater. 2-kw radar, ICOM VHF, autopilot ST4000. 6’ fin keel, Martec prop, many extras. $129,000. (408) 353-3393.

FAST PASSAGE 39. Legendary cruising yacht. Two-time Hawaii, three-time Mexico vet. New engine, prop, dinghy, dodger, gennaker. Much much more. $140,000. For details, email: DRJY2K@aol.com. ERICSON 39-B, 1976. Excellent liveaboard and cruising boat. Just back from Mexico/Hawaii. This very well maintained and equipped boat has too many features to list here. Go to: <www.queserasailing. com/ericson39b.htm> for details and photos. $65,000. Greg (415) 209-3461.

CATALINA 32, 2004 • Purchased New Dec. 2005 Loaded • Like New • Only 16 Hours! • Sailing Instruments • Autopilot Raytheon E-80 GPS/radar • Tabernacle Mast • Windlass • Refrigeration $119,000 • View Specs & Photos: <www.yachtworld.com/yachtsource> Bob Sherman • YachtSource • (619) 847-1122

STEVE'S MARINE WOODWORK

60 years of combined experience, 100,000 miles at sea. Rest assured that

60 C Libertyship Way, Sausalito jonessail@aol.com • (415) 332-2500

will get the job done in a safe, professional manner. Call for details.

PROFESSIONAL YACHT DELIVERIES Greg Snead (415) 846-6919 or Phil Howe (415) 290-1659

January, 2008 •

Latitude 38

• Page 207

30-50 ft.

Slips Available

CATALINA 36, 1986. Below-deck autopilot, radar, electric windlass with gypsy and capstan, 45-lb anchor with chain rode, refrigeration, propane oven/stove/BBQ, high-output alternator, two 8D and one Group 27 battery, inverter, dodger, bimini and more. $55,000. (510) 219-9116.

(916) 777-6084 DOWNEAST 38 CUTTER, 1978. 38’ length, 12’ beam, Farymann V-twin diesel with 600 hours. Solid no-leak boat with 10 replacement stainless ports, Aries windvane, gel batteries, deck re-glassed on inside. Needs headliner, seat covers. $39,500. Ken (707) 996-9054.

www.BrunosIsland.com On the scenic Delta Loop 1200 W. Brannan Island Rd., Isleton, CA INGRID 38, 1983. Strong, reliable, bluewater cruiser. An excellent example of William Atkins double-ended design. Cutter rigged, Monitor vane, Autohelm autopilots, Yanmar 3QM30, 130 gallons fuel, 200 gallons water, 12’ Avon and 5-hp Merc, huge inventory of gear and spares. Stored on the hard, located in finest cruising grounds in the Med, Ionian Greece. Available late April 2008. $89,500. Email: edpauhana@ hotmail.com or (360) 582-1173.

ADVANCED NOTICE THAT the great Schumacher 39 Recidivist will be available for purchase after her return from Hawaii in 2008. After sailing my dream with a race to Cabo and 3 consecutive races to Hawaii, I plan to sell Recidivist to the next person wanting to live their dream. Cruising in Mexico is next on my list. Email: kolcott@sandis.net for more info.

MARINE

ENGINE CO. Perkins • Yanmar • Atomic 4 • Volvo Westerbeke • Universal • Beta Marine

CALL NOW FOR LOW ENGINE QUOTES

• Engine Repowering and Rebuilding • Engine Sales, Service and Parts • Complete Marine Engine Service

(415) 332-0455

CORBIN 39 PILOTHOUSE, 1985 (nee 1979). Numero uno, top-rated bluewater cruiser. Sailed sparingly during last ten years by second owner. Berthed in Emeryville slip. See <http://myworld. ebay.com/ebaymotors/lesterhel/> Asking $54,500. TAYANA 37, 1976. Proven offshore passagemaker designed by Bob Perry. Beautiful interior, all new fittings below waterline. 1,000 hours on perfect running 4-108 plus another parts engine. Some sails still new in their bags. Needs mast and boom. See: <www.cranialmining.com/ tayana> $35,000. (510) 931-6489.

Ryan's Marine Specializing in Marine Electrical Services for Your Boat • Electrical system installations from inverters to electronics packages • Troubleshooting of existing systems • Dealer for the complete Balmar product line • Head and holding tank installations

(510) 385-3842 Ryan Schofield Owner since 1997 Page 208 •

Latitude 38

• January, 2008

email: rssailor@yahoo.com

CAPE DORY 36 CUTTER, 1984. Exceptional example of Carl Alberg design. Many new and upgraded systems/parts. Full details on Cape Dory owner’s website. Will send photos and equipment list. $85,000. (530) 885-4460 (eves) or (530) 518-5971 (cell) or email: john.nebilak@ aerojet.com.

C&C 37, 1982. Bad Puddy Cat. Proven race winner. Full set of UK tape-drive sails. Four spinnakers. Full set of Raymarine instruments. Garmin chartplotter GPS, Raymarine S1G autopilot, radar, folding prop. Much, much more $64,900. Call Charlie (650) 851-4160 or cwatt@ woodsidemtg.com.

40 TO 50 FEET PETERSON 44 CENTER COCKPIT cutter, 1977. Two staterooms, two heads. New Yanmar, LP, fuel tanks. Robertson autopilot, radar, dinghy, ob. $119,000. San Carlos, Mexico. Call or email for complete list and photos. (520) 742-2727 or svubetcha@aol.com.

SAILBOAT TRANSPORT Long Haul • Anywhere between San Diego & Blaine 24 to 35 feet • Up to 13,000 lbs. • Experienced • Can rerig

call_norm@shaw.ca • (604) 897-1167

WOODRUM MARINE Specializing in custom interior cabinetry, tables, cabinets, countertops, cabinsoles. For power or sail.

CARPENTRY

Mobile cabinet shop Contact Lon Woodrum at:

415-420-5970

www.woodrummarine.com NOR-CAL COMPASS ADJUSTING

Magneuto™ System Exclusively Boat Remains in Berth • Eliminates Deviation Authorized Compass Repair • All Major Brands Hal McCormack • Phone/Fax: (415) 892-7177

HARDIN 40-FT SEA WOLF. Best of Bill Garden’s deepwater cruisers. Sea Wolf is in San Carlos, Mexico ready to cruise now. Clean, brite, fully operational with dinghy, outboard, davits. $49,500. (707) 815-5111 or Jghague@yahoo.com.

BENETEAU 45f5, 1991. Pristine. Never chartered. Elegance, power of Bruce Farr hull lines combined with design beauty of Pininfarina in legendary First Series. Racing around buoys or sailing across oceans, this is your boat. Three cabins, two heads, sloop tall rig, both Kevlar and Dacron sails, deep keel, B&G Network electronics, radar on stern tower, SSB, genset, watermaker, etc. Fully equipped to cruise or race. Located in Santa Barbara. Possible use of 50-ft slip. $179,000. (805) 692-8856.

LONE STAR, DOUG PETERSON’S SORC Serendipity 43, 1980. Refit 199597, into an elegant, comfortable, highperformance cruiser. Daylight crossings between San Carlos and Punta Chivato will delight the skipper and crew. Touches of home include: parquet floors, entertainment center, custom galley, china closet, wine and goblet display, cedar-lined compartments for clothes and toiletries, linen locker, 2-person shower and large, comfortable berths. Lying in San Carlos, Mexico. $89,950. For brochure and pictures, contact (925) 917-0913 or svlonestar@yahoo.com. LANCER 44 PILOTHOUSE motorsailer, 1982. Capable, comfortable cruiser in outstanding condition. Twin Perkins 4-236 diesels. Extensively refit and equipped including new engines, rigging, plumbing, galley, interior, electronics and much more. Ready to go in Newport Beach. $129,000. (949) 500-6567 or anadebal@ yahoo.com.

1985 J/41 SAILBOAT. This boat is a knockout and loves a breeze. She has been fully restored by a boatyard and needs nothing. Bottom is epoxy barrier coated. Sails are in new condition used for regattas only. Hull and deck have both been refinished. $79,900. Located on Great Lakes. (716) 440-2096 or email: markkirby@roadrunner.com. MILLER 44. Big, strong, fast performance cruiser. Center cockpit, cutter rigged. Fully equipped to cruise anywhere. Price $129,000. For full specs and pictures, see website: <www.capricious-sailing.com> Any questions, email: capricious1943@ aol.com.

48-FT STEEL PILOTHOUSE, 1994. Proven safe and comfortable circumnavigator built by Horizon Steel Yachts. Meticulously maintained, fully equipped, and ready to go around again. On the hard for the winter near Annapolis, MD. Visit <www.svgigolo.com> for full details. $179,000. CAL 40, 1965. Fiberglass sloop, #36, Terral. 30-hp diesel. Classic boat in average condition. Destroyer steering wheel, one mainsail, two jibs. No extras. Moored near Acapulco. Asking $20,000. Email: dougandmarion@hotmail.com.

CATALINA 400, 2004. Yanmar engine, 56 horse, 135 hours. Bowthruster, electric winch, windlass, all two-speed winches, two staterooms, two heads, flat screen TV, stereo. Immaculate, absolutely beautiful, everything like new. Located Richmond, CA. $218,995. (916) 774-1474 or rdsinor@yahoo.com.

Specialists in Marine SSB radio and HF E-Mail

HF RADIO ON BOARD

ICOM Marine Radios, Furuno, SCS/Pactor, McMurdo EPIRBs

www.hfradio.com

Communication is our Business!

(510) 814-8888

BOAT • LETTERING alphaboatsue@aol.com • (510) 599-1197 • www.alphaboatgraphics.com

Creative and durable lettering and artwork for your boat HARDIN 44 KETCH • ESTATE SALE • MUST SELL 1979 World Cruiser • Fiberglass hull • Wood masts • 5 sails Roller furling jib • Dinghy • 8-man liferaft • 3 Solar panels • Inverter Lying La Paz • Complete specs: <www.yachtsus.com> • Make offer Carl (619) 370-8000 • tracomm@tracomm.com

50-FT ALEUTIAN KETCH, 1977. Dual cockpit model, large aft stat room with tub in head, large salon, two staterooms fwd, walk-in engine room. good condition throughout. $120,000/or trade for 40+ ft. diesel powerboat. (562) 706-4334 or sailfast6@verizon.net.

51 FEET & OVER

47-FT CUSTOM-BUILT CUTTER, 2004. Fiberglass, insulated, 85-hp Perkins diesel, generator, wheelhouse, full keel, new sails, roller furling, radar, autopilot, dual hydraulic steering. Liveaboard, shower, workshop, cruise ready. Well built, low maintenance. Owner’s health forces sale. $575,000. (541) 888-5688. See: <www. hyssop.com/boat/>

WAUQUIEZ CENTURION 45. High quality, very safe performance cruising yacht by Wauquiez, designed by Dubois with stellar record for fast, comfortable offshore passages. Solid FRP hull, masthead sloop, removable cutter stay and stays’l, dyform rigging, owner’s layout, fine European joinery. Icom SSB and VHF, Furuno radar, Garmin GPS, Raymarine ST 7000 autopilot, Harken furling, full-batten main, Windpilot servo-vane, swimstep transom, Lofrans electric windlass, dual refrigeration, new Balmar alternator/smart charger, 1000w inverter, AGM batteries 2006. Too much to list. Priced to move at $185,000. 04/07 drydock survey available. Carribean, South Pacific, Hawaii passages with up to 200 mpd made good. This boat can go anywhere you want. Photo catalog and inventory available. For more info contact: tunes@hawaiiantel.net or call (808) 826-6050.

HUNTER 54, 1983. Cruise equipped, EPIRB, raft, dinghy with outboard, windlass, furling jib, watermaker, fridge/freezer, radar, VHF/RAM, SSB. 2006 survey. Much more. Located La Paz, BCS, Mexico. $105,000. Ron Rowley (801) 870-7110 or fax (801) 924-3400 or email: ronrowley@ earthlink.net. ROBERTS 53 STEEL KETCH, 1985. $180,000. Your dream boat already in SE Alaska. Motor/sail/liveaboard or charter (U.S. hull). Well maintained, passagemaker, new pilothouse in 2007. See photos, specs, surveys and equipment list at <www.robertsforsale.com> or call (907) 463-5511.

1928 NEW ZEALAND 78 SCHOONER. 58’LOD, 16’6” beam. Big, strong, copper-riveted, triple-planked in Kauri. Detroit diesel, radar, AP, watermaker, genset, shower, 3 staterooms and much more. Bluewater world cruiser. $125,000. (239) 352-2971.

ail! ‘Lectronic Latitude for Puddle Jumpers SailMWhen you’re 2,000 miles from nowhere, you’ll be glad to know you

can still get the text of ‘Lectronic Latitude via Sail Docs on SailMail. ~ ~ Send an email to query@saildocs.com with ‘lat 38’ in subject line ~ ~

VOLVO PENTA Specialist Dealer Since 1980 ESKELUND MARINE • (510) 523-7670

1913 Clement Ave • Alameda Marina • Bldg 13 at Pier 2 SMALL AD, SMALL PRICES

•

RIGGING ONLY

Standing and running rigging, life lines, furling gear, winches, line, windlasses, travelers, wire and terminals, blocks, vangs, etc. Problem solving is our specialty. We are a rigging shop specializing in discount mail order. Free catalog.

www.riggingonly.com • (508) 992-0434 • email: sail@riggingonly.com January, 2008 •

Latitude 38

• Page 209

C N I M A R I N E S E RV I C E S Electrical, Mechanical and Plumbing Repairs New Systems and Electronics Installations Deliveries and Charters Boating Instruction

CLASSICS

Capt. Steve Neil

25+ years marine experience 100-Ton USCG Licensed Master Office 925-685-6634 • Cell 925-639-1713 www.cnimarine.com steve@cnimarine.com

SEA BREEZE 35 SLOOP, 1964. All glass, teak trim, great condition, good liveaboard, cruiser or daysailer. New canvas, Yanmar, Harken furler, stainless radar arch, etc. Easy to singlehand. Located in Southern CA. Reduced $28,000. (562) 706-4334 or sailfast6@verizon.net.

MULTIHULLS engines • parts • service We Ship Anywhere

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26-FT CATAMARAN, 2000. 26’ x 15’. Core cell construction, open solid bridgedeck, 9.9-hp 4-stroke electric start, sleeps 4, bimini with 3-sided enclosure. Located near Rio Vista, CA. Asking $26,000. (916) 203-8517.

POWER & HOUSEBOATS 43.5-FT LaBELLE TRAWLER. Sausalito outstanding view berth. Volvo diesels, 500 hours, 7.5 Onan. Roomy glass-enclosed sundeck. Full canvas. Large custom galley. Master with walkaround queen, tub + comfortable guest stateroom with large bed, head. Excellent workmanship/condition. Asking $159,000/obo. May finance or rent. (415) 331-5251.

(415) 453-1001 FAX: (415) 453-8460 www.helmutsmarine.com 619 Canal Street San Rafael, CA 94901

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Stainless Steel

CORSAIR F-27, 1988. New trailer and full cover. Two mains, two genoas, two spinnakers. VHF, Loran and handheld GPS. Dry-stored in Morro Bay. $42,900. Call (805) 773-1110 or email: davidprewett@ aol.com.

Screws, Bolts, Nuts & More

65-FT WOOD CLASSIC, 1939. Heavy built ex-trawler. GMC 12V-71, 21-kw generator. Full electronics. Lots of equipment. Ready to go. Would make great conversion. More pics/details: ancona@mcn.org. Asking $112,000 or any reasonable offer. Call (707) 964-5423.

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ATHENA 38, 1997. Rio Dulce, Guatemala. Blue Moon’s in good sailing shape but needing cosmetics. Details and photos aplenty for cash buyers. $135,000 with tools, spares etc. and year-old hardbottom Caribe and 15-hp outboard. Email for specifics: aweliversudden@yahoo.com.

30-FT WILLARD VEGA SEARCHER. Excellent little ship for 2, good for 4. Super condition in/out. All systems in excellent condition. Full electronics. All safety gear, full head, 100 gals fuel, 100 gals water. See to appreciate. $46,000. Call (650) 207-6898 or (650) 851-3402.

MARINE SURVEYS • Jan Van Sickle Member: SAMS – AMS, ABYC & IAMI

Ultrasound Thickness Testing of Steel & Aluminum

jtvs@post.harvard.edu • www.vintageyachts.org (707) 939-9131 • No travel charge within Bay Area

MARINE ENGINE CO.

Complete Engine Services • Gas & Diesel 30 Years Experience • Reasonable Rates Tune-Ups • Oil Changes • Engine Rebuilding, etc.

(415) 332-0455

Ph 949.496.1348

Fax 949.496.1341 www.primefabrication.com 33081 Calle Perfecto, Suite B San Juan Capistrano CA 92675

Page 210 •

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• January, 2008

www.winchmate.com For Barient & Barlow #27 – #32 (415) 460-5151

1943 STEPHENS BROS. WOODEN tugboat. 73 feet, 18.5-ft beam, 60 ton. Extraordinarily unique. Within the fantastic fit and finish of a bright, exotic wood and stone interior lies an overbuilt WWII tug’s charismatic conversion to a luxury (fully floating home equipped) residence. 1,200 sq. ft of efficient liveable space, fully equipped updated residential kitchen, 2 fireplaces, Jacuzzi, washer/dryer, wet bar, functional office, significant storage options, skillfully engineered systems. Detroit 6-71, Kubota 8 kw (both call for servicing). Surveyor’s comment: “This home afloat should be regarded as having one of the nicest-looking interiors on the Sausalito waterfront, vessel’s interior is furnished to the highest standards and is impressive for its spaciousness and quality décor.” $450,000. Email: gvthomas@ earthlink.net.

CHRIS CRAFT 28 CATALINA EXPRESS cruiser, 1977. Great family boat. Sleeps 6, VHF, depth, windlass, 6’5” headroom, repowered with 80+ hours. Berthed at Vallejo Marina. Must sell. $10,000 $8,000/ obo. (707) 486-9647.

32-FT CLASSIC MONTEREY. Totally restored Monterey fishing boat, converted to day boat, sportfisher or Bay cruiser. All woodwork has been done. New fuel tanks, hydraulic steering, tinted glass, etc. GMC 2-71 diesel engine. Needs to be finished, such as controls, wiring, exhaust and finishing touches. Must be seen to be appreciated. $45,000, will consider any reasonable offer. Pics/details: (707) 964-5423 or ancona@mcn.org. TRADE OR SALE OR DONATE: 1974 68-ft x 20-ft working steel trawler/office/ home. 1,200 sq. ft. of space. Legal liveaboard. Trade value: 45 to 70-ft sailboat or cash or terms. Be creative. Berkeley slip. See: <www.myclassicboats.com> Email: GaryKJennings@msn.com or call (510) 665-7716.

PARTNERSHIPS CABO RICO 34, 1995. Crealock-designed cutter, easy to sail. Safe, comfortable passagemaker. Beautiful boat equipped for Mexico and beyond. We’re back, now your turn. Long-term lease/equity share. (707) 477-6980 or jack@hewatt.net.

DOWNEASTER-STYLE BASS BOAT. Fortier 26, 2004. Classiest fishing/picnic boat in Santa Cruz Harbor and Monterey Bay. Semi-displacement, powered by Yanmar 260, radar, fishfinder, GPS, etc. Cared for as part of our proud family and want to keep her that way. 10-ft beam provides very stable fishing platform and plenty of room for recreational cruising. Seeking a partner, please. Call (650) 926-9797 or (650) 400-1041. GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR A prudent sailor. I’m moving to SoCAL for 2 years and can not bring my boat with me. I’m looking for an ASA or US Sail-trained, responsible sailor to pay slip fees (Berkeley Marina) and maintain my Newport 28 sailboat in exchange for use. I will need to use the boat a maximum of 1-4 days per month, otherwise she is all yours. No liveaboards. $290/month. Email for details: atwoodhome@comcast.net.

SOUTH OF THE BORDER SWALLOWING THE ANCHOR? Lots of recent sales in San Carlos mean we’re looking to add to our roster of well-equipped cruising sail and power boats. Find out why San Carlos Yachts is “a different kind of brokerage, in a different kind of paradise.” Call toll-free from the U.S. or Canada (877) 694-4568, in Mexico 01 (622) 226-0044. Email: info@ sancarlosyachts.com. Website: <www. sancarlosyachts.com>

All-Marine Electronics & Electrical ✦ System Design ✦ Troubleshooting / Repair ✦ AC & DC ✦ Quality Installation ✦ Licensed & Insured ✦ ✦ Radio & RADAR ✦ Antennas & Mastwork ✦ Integrated Navigation Systems ✦ Auto Pilots ✦ ✦ Battery Monitoring Systems ✦ Alternators, Regulators ✦ Solar ✦

LEARN TO SAIL in the Sea of Cortez. San Carlos Sailing School, an ASA school based in San Carlos, Sonora. Specializing in learn-to-sail cruises, vacations. Also offer boat rentals, day trips. See: <http://mexicosailing.com> or please call (800) 874-4830. CONDO RENTALS NEAR VALLARTA yacht club. Two adjacent condos overlooking Paradise Village Marina. Each 2 br, 2 bath with Jacuzzi, pool and amenities. Access to Sports & Beach Club. Rent one or both. Call (925) 208-1601 or 011-52 (322) 297-7559 or nancywmoore1@aol.com. MEXICOLDER. Your answer to frosty drinks in Mazatlan and tropical hideaways. Super efficient fridge freezers, lower than U.S. prices. 100% cruiser satisfaction. Visit <www.mexicolder.com> for helpful advice. Celebrating 30 years of those wonderful tinkling ice cubes. Email: sales@mexicolder.com. MARINA RESIDENCE: Condo for rent overlooking Paradise Village Marina located on Banderas Bay near Puerto Vallarta. 1 bedroom, 1 bath. Marina view, watch the boats from your patio. Many amenities. For resort information and location call (916) 367-6292 or email: HNDJohn@starstream.net.

TRADE TRADE OR SALE OR DONATE: 1974 68-ft x 20-ft working steel trawler/office/ home. 1,200 sq. ft. of space. Legal liveaboard. Trade value: 45 to 70-ft sailboat or cash or terms. Be creative. Berkeley slip. See: <www.myclassicboats.com> Email: GaryKJennings@msn.com or call (510) 665-7716.

WANTED SELLING OUR HOUSE. Looking for a bluewater cruiser. 38 ft or more, for a couple. Prefer center cockpit cutter or ketch. In Mexico. Write: PO Box 1685, Lake Isabella, CA 93240 or call (760) 379-6369. 42 TO 52-FOOT SAILBOAT to purchase and convert to USCG-inspected charter sailing vessel in SF Bay. Must be US built and in good condition. Good sailing performance is a plus. Cash sale possible. Call Kirk (650) 492-0681 or captkirk@ sfbaysail.com.

GEAR

BRISTOL 35, 1970. Offshore equipped. 4-person liferaft 2005, EPIRB 2005, newer Yanmar 27 hp, sea anchor, Fleming windvane. 2005 Hasse trysail, storm jib. 2005 upgraded electrical, rigging, storm windows. Clean, comfortable cruiser. $35,000. La Paz. (360) 774-0918. PLAN YOUR MEXICAN GETAWAY NOW at the brand-new, gorgeous Cielo Y Mar condos. Located in Punta Mita, 35 minutes from Puerto Vallarta, available to rent from private owner. Right on the beach, 10 feet from the water, they offer spectacular views of ocean and mountains, the biggest infinity pool in the area, an endless beach, great advanced and beginning surf breaks, great fishing, tremendous views of whales, bird life and the islands. While uncrowded and tranquil, it’s just a five-minute walk to several waterfront restaurants. Choose from a spacious and beautifully furnished one or three-bedroom unit, or an amazing two-story penthouse with lovely shade trellis on the top floor. See details: <www.puntamitabeachfrontcondos.com> To reserve, call (415) 599-5012.

63-FT ALUMINUM MAST, BOOM, sails, winches, package sale: $16,995. Was bought new and has been stored inside since. Bought for a 53-ft Roberts cutter. 21-ft boom, spreaders, sails in crates, never opened. One stainless steel prop shaft, 1-3/8” with tube, stuffing box, packing, bearing. Two Enkes AR36ASC winches. Two 60# plow anchors. 36-ft 1-1/4” stainless steel track. Two Aqua Signal mast lights. 35 Schaefer blocks, cleats, hardware. Call (707) 964-6712 or (707) 272-4811. 1999 YANMAR 30-HP DIESEL freshwater-cooled with 100-amp Balmar and 3-stage charger, $4,500/obo. Engine installed in Olson 40 in 2000 and removed in 2007, excellent condition. See video on youtube, search ‘olson 40 gear’. (650) 966-8767.

Learning to sail has never been easier . . .

Alameda, CA -- (510) 523-6011 Charts, Cruising Guides, Software, Nav Tools, Flags, and More! Electronic Navigation Specialists OceanGrafix Charts-on-Demand

LAT: 37° 46.61´ N LON: 122° 15.01´ W

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DELIVERIES & PRIVATE SAILING INSTRUCTION Learn to handle your boat in a safe and confident manner. 25 years and over 30,000 miles of cruising experience.

50-ton license • Sail and tow endorsements • Caribbean and West Coast deliveries

(805) 540-4667 • markocina@hotmail.com

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COMPLETE MARINE WOODWORK Design / Restoration • Expert European Craftsmanship • Interior / Exterior Repairs / Maintenance • Marine Windows & Frame Replacement Wood & Dry Rot Repairs • Varnish Work • Marine Painting References Available • Reasonable Rates • Call (415) 331-6718 January, 2008 •

Latitude 38

• Page 211

Q uality S ails for L ess ! MAINSAILS MIZZENS STAYSAILS HEADSAILS CRUISING SPINNAKERS MAINSAIL COVERS ALL CUSTOM FIT (510) 769-4858 • leesailsnc@yahoo.com 2021 Alaska Packer Pl. • Grand Marina • Alameda, CA 94501

SAILMAKERS TO THE WORLD! FULL SERVICE MARINA Friendly, helpful, fully bilingual staff All new hardwood docks • Wireless Internet Dinghy landing with potable water New protective piling & sheetpile breakwaters • And more!

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WIRELESS E-MAIL

GEAR, CONT.

CLUBS & MEMBERSHIPS

SEASIDE MARINE MEDICAL KIT. Ideal offshore cruising kit in heavy-duty bag with shoulder and hand straps. Includes wide range of medical supplies: Suture, EENT, and GI kits, skin and burn preparations, equipment, antibiotics, medications, etc. Instructions included. Excellent condition. $400. (808) 721-4666 or caw.caw1@ yahoo.com.

SINGLE SKIPPERS AND CREW of all abilities are invited to attend Single Sailors Association’s <http://www.singlesailors. org/> meeting held 2nd Thursday, Oakland Yacht Club, 1101 Pacific Marina, Alameda, 94501. Social 6:30 pm. Meeting 7:30 pm. Members enjoy daysailing, raftups and social events. Guests welcome. (510) 233-1064.

BRONZE GOOSENECK FOR boomgallows, $250. 80-lb fisherman’s anchor, $150. 1996 12-ft Porta-Bote, used four times, $800. 2007 5-hp Nissan short shaft, still needs break-in, $1,000. Engel fridge/ freezer, $350. Kenmore icemaker, home/ light industrial, $150. Mast, solid Sitka, 31’ x 5-3/4” x 4”, $350. (415) 461-9425.

CLUB NAUTIQUE PASSAGE MAKER Couples Membership. Includes all U.S. sailing courses, Basic Keelboat through Offshore Passagemaking, and charter discounts. Asking $4,000. This is the best and safest way to learn sailing, from the best school. Phillip (925) 820-5836.

HONDA 8-HP 4 STROKE MOTOR. Just serviced. Possibly needs water pump. Includes fuel tank and hose. No longer needed. $850/obo. (831) 247-7939 or hawknest1@prodigy.net. VOLVO MD3B 36-HP, 3-CYLINDER diesel, very reliable. In boat. 1/2 gal per hour. Rebuilt 2003. Upgrading hp for cruising. $2,000. (707) 561-7160 or rbrandes@ magnoliahg.com. 58-FT FURLING MAST. Swept double spreaders and boom. Anodized, 2 years old, all in excellent condition, including mainsail, solid vang, and step. Currently on 49-ft sloop, will be available in January. Make any reasonable offer. Call (707) 290-4010. MY COCKROACHES ARE STARVING so must sell my engines for low $$$. Westerbeke W18 18 hp, $2,000. BMW 30 hp, $2,400. Both excellent condition and complete. Two Universal 5411s. A-4 replacements, cheap. (415) 272-5776 or TheCockRoachKing@gmail.com. 74-FT MAST DESIGNED for catamaran. Best offer. (415) 269-5165.

SEATECH SYSTEMS

MISCELLANEOUS

NON-PROFIT BOATING SKILLS AND SEAMANSHIP Course, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 12. Covers basics of boating. Meets Tuesdays 7:30-9:30 pm for thirteen weeks beginning February 5, 2008, at Sausalito Cruising Club. Enrollment limited. Course fee $75, includes textbook. Call Margrit Keyes (415) 924-3739 or margritkeyes@ sbcglobal.net. FREE BOATING CLASS: Boating Safety, 4 Lesson, begins Jan. 22, 2008, offered by Santa Clara Power Squadron, Sail and Power Boating. Cost for materials only. Call DeWayn (408) 225-6097. For map or to register online go to <http://www.usps. org/localusps/santaclara/PE.htm>. MARIN POWER & SAIL SQUADRON offers members free classes ranging from Seamanship to Celestial Navigation plus cruises and social events. Next Squadron Boating Course in Novato January 8, 10, 17, 19, 22, 24, 2008, all from 7 to 9 pm. Textbook $50. For details and registration call (415) 924-2712.

PROPERTY SALE/RENT

Computerized Navigation & Communication

800.444.2581 281.334.1174

info@sea-tech.com

www.sea-tech.com

Call for Info on SeaTech Packages & CAPN Demo Disk

CAPTAIN’S LICENSE CLASSES. OUPV (6-pack)/100-ton Masters, plus towing and sailing endorsements. USCG-approved courses. Successful completion satisfies USCG exam requirements. Offered by US Maritime Academy of California. Weeknight classes in San Mateo. Call Mike (650) 298-9489.

CHARMING NEW 1400-SQ.FT. cottages in Friday Harbor, on San Juan Island for sale by owner. Only two left out of four units. Beautifully done, quality throughout, easy walking distance to town. See at: <www.carlicottages.com> Asking $435,000. (360) 378-0302.

LEARN OFFSHORE NAVIGATION From Celestial to GPS and Electronic Charts Course on CD • Instructors via Email www.amwnavigator.com WISE MARINE SERVICES Refrigeration • Air Conditioning • Electrical • Engine Services Experienced in both Power and Sail systems

Roger Wise • (510) 418-7550 • rdwisesr@gmail.com BLUE PELICAN MARINE A sailor’s consignment store now open at Grand Marina, Alameda Sails • Winches • Instruments • Brass • Collectibles • Sailing Books Charts • Small Outboards • Hardware • No large items • No junk (510) 769-4858 • bluepelicanmarine@sbcglobal.net Page 212 •

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• January, 2008

ATTENTION SAILORS: I have a house and large boat dock at Point Richmond for rent. Exclusive, large 5 br, 3 ba, fireplace, near Richmond Yacht Club. Must see. $3,500/month or possibly for sale. Call (510) 222-2312.

CATALINA ISLAND, HAMILTON Cove condo. Relax and enjoy the quiet off season. Sleeps 6, 2 bedrooms, 2 baths. Overlooking the ocean and pool. 3 nights $400, 7 nights $800. For photos and more information, email: CatalinaCondoCPYC@hotmail.com or call (650) 697-5854.

BERTHS & SLIPS BERTH AVAILABLE. 36-ft berth at Pier 39, San Francisco. Very close in. Rental by month or annually. (415) 474-2474. 40-FOOT SLIP FOR SALE AT PIER 39. $15,000/obo. No liveaboards. D Dock, Slip 17. Marina facilities include washer/dryer, toilet, shower, Internet, garbage removal. HOA $200/mo. Excludes elect/phone. Parking $3 per 12 hours, Pier 39 Garage. Email: stephaniekrames@aol.com.

CREW EXPERIENCED CIRCUMNAVIGATOR. Schooner returning from high Arctic seeks select crew members on legs: 1) Northern Norway-Scotland-Ireland; 2) IrelandSpain-Portugal-Gibraltar; 3) GibraltarSardinia-Tunis-Sicily; 4) Sicily-Crete-North Africa-Israel; 5) Israel-Greece-Italy-Croatia. Each leg approximately 4 weeks, June – October. Must participate fully and share expenses. Call Mike (505) 466-6326 or clairehorn@comcast.net. REMEMBER LN ADS? Experienced female cruiser SO for ”as long as it’s fun”. I’m a funny ’one off’ sailor with a great boat, life, kid (grown), pets. Established SoCal 50ish beach kid with an intense passion for life. sailor4life120@yahoo.com.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

TOO LATE TO CLASSIFY

WEST MARINE, THE NATION’S largest retailer of boating supplies and apparel, has an immediate employment opportunity for a Cashier and Sales Associate. FT/PT available in our Richmond store. Boating and retail experience is a plus. We offer a competitive compensation package and generous product discount. Apply online at: <www.westmarine.com> Store Located at 501 Canal Blvd. #D, Richmond, CA. 94804. EOE.

CATALINA 380, 2001 PARTNERSHIP. Berthed at Sausalito Yacht Harbor. Full electronics, chartplotter, autopilot, and radar. Furling main and jib, cruising chute, Yanmar 40 with low hours, new dodger, electric windlass. Equipped for sailing and cruising: 2 cabins, centerline berths, innerspring mattresses, refrigerator, microwave, flat screen HDTV/DVD, electric head, and separate shower. Includes dinghy and outboard. Beautifully finished interior in ultraleather and Corian. Equity or non-equity shares available, as low as $300/month, depending on usage. Call (707) 421-0366 or csmsam@aol.com.

CHARTER COMPANY LOOKING for couple to run satellite base in beautiful San Juan Islands during 2008 charter season. Boat handling, basic maintenance and navigation necessary. Send resumés to ABC Yacht Charters, PO Box 129, Anacortes, WA 98221, or email: herve@ abcyachtcharters.com. YACHT SALESMAN WANTED for growing four-office brokerage. Openings in the Alameda and San Diego offices. Must have track record for listing and selling brokerage boats. Email: randall@ rbyachts.com or call Ann (510) 292-8567 or Jack (619) 222-1907. MARINA ASSISTANT MANAGERS. SF Marina anticipates recruiting for experienced marina assistant managers. Duties may include light marina maintenance, patrolling/providing security for marina-owned facilities and equipment and providing assistance in Harbor Office setting. For information, please email: lisa.nakamura@sfgov.org. PART-TIME CREW, 1 DAY PER WEEK for beautiful 46-ft cruising sailboat in Sausalito. Local cruising 2008-2009, possibility of San Juans or Channel Islands in summer. Good mechanical and sailing skills, reliability, and references crucial. (415) 627-8304. SAUSALITO PERSONAL assistant and/or boatworker. One or two people, start pt, can become ft career position. Help with business, organization, upgrading boats. Interests in mortgage and real estate brokerage, south of the border real estate, boat remodeling, sales. Lodging possibly included. (415) 331-5251. ULLMAN SAILS, NEWPORT BEACH is growing and we are looking for an experienced Handworker. Bring your enthusiasm, commitment and appreciation of teamwork. Salary is commensurate with experience. Contact Erik Shampain at: eshampain@ullmansails.com or (714) 432-1860.

SEGWAY OF OAKLAND 212 International Blvd., Oakland • Rent, buy, or lease All models in stock • New & Used • Only $35 for a lesson

(510) 832-2429 OFFSHORE PASSAGEMAKING INSTRUCTION IN THE ATLANTIC John & Amanda Neal are dedicated to providing hands-on, documented instruction aboard their Hallberg-Rassy 46 Mahina Tiare III, drawing on their combined 472,000 miles and 63 years of experience.

www.mahina.com • (360) 378-6131 N.E. MARINE TITLE

Coast Guard documentation • Title/lien searches • Transfers • Mortgage filing • Escrow services

Local closing facility for brokers or private transactions 30 years experience of doing it right the first time

1150 Ballena Blvd, Alameda, CA • (510) 521-4925

LICENSED 6-PAK CAPTAINS. Captain Kirk’s Sailing is looking for excellent captains for the 2008 season. Part-time and weekend sailing on Soverel 36 from Sausalito for 3 to 4-hour trips. Flying Tiger is a fun, fast boat to sail. Must have excellent sailing skills, good people skills and references. Steady work, good pay, flexible schedules and bonuses for the right captain. Call Kirk (650) 492-0681 or email resumé to captkirk@sfbaysail. com. See <www.sfbaysail.com> for info on business.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES WYLIECAT IS LOOKING FOR a partner with strengths that complement our design and construction skills. Finance – Marketing – Sales. Please visit three websites: <www.wyliecat.com> and <www. sealifeconservation.org> and <www. hybridfishingboat.org> then call Tom Wylie (925) 376-7338. ESTABLISHED, PROFITABLE skippered sailing charter company in SE Alaska for sale. Turnkey operation includes boat, permits, and training. Incredible scenery, wildlife, fishing. It’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it. See: <www.soundsailing.com> Email: svbob@ soundsailing.com. 1958 JEFFRIES, RESTORED. Current USCG cert. for 49 pass. 45’ L, 15’ W. Major refit April 2007. GM 6-cyl engine, 509 trans, new wood. Glass over wood. Very unique vessel, includes Furuno radar, 2 VHFS, bow thruster, new 2006. All work done at KKMI. Very well maintained. This is a great Bay boat, turnkey with websites. CA. liq, lic. $240,000. Must see to appreciate it. (415) 859-7050. ASA SAILING SCHOOL, SAILING Club, Charters and Catalina Yachts dealership offered. Fully established with great growth potential. Located in premium resort area of northern California/Nevada area. For details call (877) 542-1691 or captaindeeper@yahoo.com. GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE OVER and run a growing sailing charter business in Bay Area. Very affordable. The only requirements are knowledge of sailing and some business principles. Existing owner will train. Call (510) 499-9463 for details.

MARINER 40 KETCH, 1970. Bulletproof fiberglass hull, beautiful teak interior and outside trim. Safe, sturdy full-keel cruiser or comfortable liveaboard. 85-hp Perkins, new aluminum fuel tank and system, hot water, roomy head with shower, LectraSan, new windlass motor, all-chain rode, built-in DC fridge and new AC fridge, dodger, loads of storage, large tanks, good sails. Sausalito berth. $39,000. Call (707) 454-6247. ERICSON 27. Queen of the fleet. Baby forces sale. Marina Village. As is. First $3,500 in the New Year takes her. James (415) 710-5741. WANTED: PORTHOLES, Opening ss or bronze 5x12 hull opening. Angled spigot prefered. Givens, Elliot, or Winslow 4/6 man offshore pack, canister prefered. Call John <808> 291-3233 or aeolus_99@ yahoo.com. SAILS: Spinnys: 1.5-oz white, SL 33.11, SMG 17.10, old but good, with turtle, $100. 1-oz Hood, multicolor, SL 32, SMG 15, good shape, no turtle, $250. .5 poly Haarstick, multicolor, SL 32, SMG 14, with repairs, with turtle, $100. Jib: North Pentex #1, I=31, J=12, with sausage, from Laser 28, old, free with chute. Located SF. (415) 994-3500 or jsgutoff@hotmail.com.

VOLPAR, Inc.

(408) 986-0848 • (800) 258-4545 Parts / Service • Penta Only 10am-7pm PST every day including Sat-Sun email: Volpar@Volpar.com

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Let Your Boat Make Money • Charter It NEW and HUGE TAX BENEFITS www.spinnaker-sailing.com Spinnaker Sailing • South Beach Harbor, SF • (415) 543-7333 January, 2008 •

Latitude 38

• Page 213

We care about sail care!

San Francisco Service

773 Andersen Drive, San Rafael, CA 94901 T: 415-453-2142 M: 510-333-4644 Hours: 8-5 M-F, Sat. by appointment

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LOCK, RAMSAY & WHITIN D E G W Marine Surveyors

Makela Boatworks Pre-purchase, insurance: vessel, engine, rig surveys

Family owned since 1948

Serving the Bay Area since 1980

Wooden Boat Building • Repair and Restoration

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19280 South Harbor Drive • Fort Bragg, CA 95437

(415) 505-3494

Mobile Welding & Metal Fabrication Aluminum • Stainless • Cast Iron • Steel We Can Fix It or Make It New!

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www.mrrpmwelding.net email: mrrpmwelding@yahoo.com 24-hour emergency Page 214 •

Latitude 38

(650) 455-5229

• January, 2008

(707) 964-3963

email: howard@makelaboatworks.com • www.Makelaboatworks.com

CA Lic. # 876283

STANDING RIGGING REPLACEMENT Cruise or Race One Design Fleet Specials

BUTLER RIGGING (510) 672-2639 butlerrigging@sbcglobal.net

Barnett Yacht Insurance, Inc. PMB 389 • 2726 Shelter Island Dr. San Diego, CA 92106

Nature's Head Composting Toilet • No harsh chemicals • Organic composting • Only $850 – includes hoses, brackets, fan • No thru-hulls needed

Our Insurance Programs Cover Crew of Two Caribbean • Mexico • South Pacific • Worldwide Call Toll Free: 866-463-0176 Fax: 619-226-8513 • email: sales@barnettyachtinsurance.com

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Alexander-Roberts Camet Forespar Gill Harken Hayn Kaenon

Lewmar Ronstan Samson Schaefer Tylaska and many others

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Hays Marine Transport Specializing in oversize boat transport Servicing 48 States & Mexico (813) 979-2900

Sailing Supply

- Standing, Running rigging - Lifelines

Riggers to Olympic campaigns Friendly, knowledgeable staff

www.sailingsupply.com

2822 Canon Street San Diego, CA 92106

(800) 532-3831 sailing_supply@msn.com

jim@haysmt.net

www.haysmarinetransport.net

ADVERTISERS' INDEX AB Marine..........................92 ABC Yacht Charters............185 ABC Yachts.......................226 ABI/Precision Lighting..........60 Agape Villages....................26 Alameda Marina/Pac.Shops.. 67 Alameda Prop & Machine.....29 Albatross Yacht Charters.....185 Almar Marinas....................87 Alpha Marine Systems........101 Anacortes Yacht Charters....185 Anderson’s Boat Yard...........55 Annapolis Performance Sailing...........................175

Aquatic Protection Agency..220 Bair Island Marina...............88 Baja Naval.......................204 Baja Tourism Board..............53 Ballena Bay Yacht Brokers.....30 Barillas Marina..................143 Barnett Yacht Insurance.......215 Bay Island Yachts...................7 Bay Marine Boatworks..........57 Bay Marine Diesel..............218 Bay Risk Insurance...............32 Beneteau.............................59 Berkeley Marina................205 Berkeley Marine Center........35

Beta Marine Engines............29 Blue Sky Energy.................132 Blue Water Marine Paints/ National Paint Industries.....93 Blue Water Yacht Ins......... 133 Bluewater Network.............219 Bo’sun Supplies..................210 Boat Electric........................27 Bottom Siders....................214 Boy Scouts San Francisco....224 Brisbane Marina..................63 British Marine......................24 Brunos Island Resort...........208 Butler Rigging....................215

BVI Yacht Charters.............182 Cabrillo Yacht Sales...........224 Chula Vista Marina............204 City Yachts..........................17 CNI Marine Services..........210 Coast Marine......................24 Conch Charters.................183 Corinthian Yacht Club.........175 Cover Craft.........................99 Coyote Point Marina............71 Cruising Cats USA...............95 Cruising Direct Sails...........152 Cruising World Pacific........220 Cruising Yachts....................34

CYOA Yacht Charters.........183 Desolation Sound Charters..185 DeWitt Studio....................159 Diesel Fuel Filtering............147 Discount Marine Hardware...97 Dockwise Yacht Transport......89 Dolphin Insurance Services Inc.................................103 Downwind Marine...............54 Doyle Sails..........................65 Easom Rigging..................175 Elliott Bay Yacht Sales.........219 Elliott/Pattison Sailmakers.....98 EM Design........................214

January, 2008 •

Latitude 38

• Page 215

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Latitude 38

Avoid Rocks, Shoals, 'Land Sharks' & Confiscatory Taxes We have resolved marine insurance coverage, damage claims, warranty and lien disputes. Experienced in drafting and negotiating purchase/sale, charter, builder's contracts and dealing with the IRS, State and local tax agencies. A life-long, Bay, coastal, Delta racer/cruiser as well as an Officer/Director and/or Counsel of Yacht Clubs and other maritime entities since 1954. Affiliate of the Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors (SAMS).

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ADVERTISER'S INDEX - cont'd Embroidery Factory............214 Emery Cove Yacht Harbor.....97 Emeryville Marina..............143 Enviro Lua.........................215 Essex Credit Corp................24 Fago, Margaret Artist...........31 Farallone Yacht Sales...........13 Flying Cloud Yachts..............21 Flying Tiger Yachts.............159 Footloose Yacht Charters.....178 Forespar.............................33 Fortman Marina...................46 Fridge Freeze....................133 Garhauer Marine.................20 Page 216 •

Latitude 38

Gentry’s Kona Marina........214 Gianola & Sons...................30 Glacier Bay.........................91 Glen Cove Marina...............31 Go Cats............................180 Golden Gate Yacht Sales......18 Golden State Diesel Marine...........................216 Grand Marina.......................2 GreenBoatStuff.com...........102 H&L Marine Woodwork Inc...................................91 H&S Yacht Sales..................14 Hanse North America...........45

• January, 2008

Harken...............................40 Hays Marine Transport.......215 Helms Yacht & Ship Brokers/ West Coast Multihulls.........49 Helmut’s Marine Service.....210 Heritage Yacht Sales..........222 High Performance Sailing Hawaii...........................183 Hogin Sails.........................78 Hood Sails..........................83 Hotel Coral & Marina.........143 Hydrovane..........................72 Jeanneau America...............11 JK3 Nautical Enterprises.......19

Kensington Yachts..............222 Kissinger Canvas.................96 KKMI - Bottom Paint..............93 KKMI - Brokerage.................79 KKMI - Full Service Yard........51 KTI Systems/Filter Boss.......101 Landfall Navigation..............98 Landing School, The ..........208 Larsen Sails/Neil Pryde Sails................................62 Lee Sails...........................212 Lifeline Batteries...................96 List Marine Enterprises........104 Loch Lomond Marina..........198

Mahina Offshore Cruising Seminar.........................183 Maine Cats.......................185 Makela Boatworks.............214 Marina Bay Yacht Harbor...147 Marina de la Paz...............212 Marina Puerto Salina..........197 Marina Puesta Del Sol........201 Marina Real......................184 Marina Riviera Nayarit.........85 Marina Village....................81 Marine Engine Co..............208 Marine Lube......................212 Marine Outboard Co.........219

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ADVERTISER'S INDEX - cont'd Mariner’s General Insurance.........................58 Maritime Institute................163 Marotta Yachts...................225 Mazatlan Marine Center/ La Paz Yachts....................10 Mc Ginnis Insurance...........147 McDermot Costa Insurance...37 McGrath Yachts...................66 Milltech Marine Inc..............64 Moorings, The...................181 Modern Sailing Academy.....99 Monterey Bay Marine.........217 Mr. RPM Mobile Welding....214

Napa Valley Marina..........103 Napa Valley Marina Yachts............................221 Nelson Yachts......................25 Nelson’s Marine................228 New Coast Fabrics..............26 New Era Yachts.................224 New Society Publishers.........82 Norpac Yachts...................227 North Beach Marine Canvas.. 75 North Sails........................214 North Sails - San Francisco...69 NorCal January Boat Show...77 Opequimar Marine Center..199

Orange Coast College.........73 Outboard Motor Shop/ Star Marine Electronics......70 Owl Harbor......................202 Oyster Cove Marina.............32 Oyster Point Marina.............95 Pacific Coast Canvas............95 Pacific Yacht Imports...............9 Paradise Village...................61 Passage Yachts...................4,5 Passage Yachts Brokerage...221 Peter Crane Yacht Sales......223 Pier 32 Marina/Harbor Island West Marina.........133

Pineapple Sails......................3 Port Townsend Shipwrights Coop...............................37 Prime Fabrication...............210 Puerto Lucia.......................196 Punta Mita Beachfront Condos..........................184 Pusser’s Rum..........................6 Quantum Pacific..................41 Quickline..........................215 R-Parts..............................217 Raiatea Carenage Services 200 Randall Burg Yacht & Ship....12 Richardson Bay Marina........28

Rodgers & Assoc................216 Rooster Sails......................103 Ryan’s Marine...................208 Sail California...........36,38,39 Sail Warehouse, The..........219 Sailing Supply...................215 Sailrite Kits..........................86 Sal’s Inflatable Services......101 S.F. Estuary Project................ 22 San Francisco Boat Works... 174 San Juan Sailing................185 San Leandro Marina.............23 Sausalito Dock-n-Sell...........223 Scan Marine Equipment........94

January, 2008 •

Latitude 38

• Page 217

Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors® Serving Northern California Al Blair, SA 415.456.3154 blairsurvey@msn.com

Jack Mackinnon, AMS®/SMS 510.276.4351 surveyjack@aol.com

Jesse Brody, SA 415.342.0757 jesse@baymarinesurvey.com

Francoise Ramsay, SA 415.497.7409 framsay@comcast.net

Alan Hugenot, AMS® 415.531.6172 hugenot@comcast.net

Randell Sharpe, AMS® 877.337.0706 rsharpe@alamedanet.net

Tom List, AMS® 415.332.5478 listmarine@yahoo.com

Terry Tucker, SA 510.381.1925 ttucker100@sbcglobal.net Terry Tupper, SA 415.722.7695 bluwater@juno.com Rick Whiting, SA 415.740.2924 captain_rick@sbcglobal.net R.J. Whitfield & Assoc, AMS® 800.344.1838 rjwsurvey.com

Marine Diesel Specialists

AT YOUR SLIP!

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30 years experience • Universal/Westerbeke dealers Repairs/Tune-ups all models • Engine Surveys, Instruction

BAY MARINE DIESEL

510-435-8870

baymarinediesel@comcast.net

ADVERTISER'S INDEX - cont'd Scanmar International...........48 Schmidt, Charlotte Yachts....223 Schoonmaker Point Marina 162 Sea Hawk/New Nautical Coatings..........................56 Seacoast Marine Finance......52 Seaportal............................91 Seashine.............................99 Seatech............................212 Seawear Nautical Jewelry.....74 Selden Mast, Inc. USA..........84 Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors/SAMS ...........218 South Bay YRA..................107 Page 218 •

Latitude 38

South Beach Harbor.............90 South Beach Riggers.............75 South Beach Sailing Center ..75 Spectra Watermakers...........76 Staaf Sails...........................94 Starbuck Canvas..................30 Sunsail Charters...................44 Svendsen’s Boat Works.........43 Svendsen’s Boat Works Furlers............................203 Svendsen’s Marine...............68 Swedish Marine.................102 Switlik................................27 Tartan 4400: ‘Tartini Time’..222

• January, 2008

Tartan/C&C Yachts..............15 The Boatyard at Grand Marina.............................16 The Cruise Director.............179 Tim’s Zodiac Marine.............97 TMM/Tortola Marine Management....... 182 Tradewinds Sailing . .........142 Trident Funding......................8 Twin Rivers Marine Ins........100 U.S. Power Squadron District 25........................33 UK-Halsey Sails....................42 Ullman Sails........................47

Vallarta Yachts.....................26 Vallejo Boat Works.............165 Vallejo Marina...................164 Vaughan, William E...........216 Ventura Harbor Boatyard......32 Viking Life-Saving Equipment .....................................153 Voyager Marine.................104 Weatherguy.com................218 Wedlock, Ramsay & Whiting Marine Surveyors............214 West Marine...27,29,31,33,80 Western Grace..................184 Westwind Precision Details....75

Whale Point Marine Supply.............................50 White, Chris Designs..........216 Whitehall Rowing & Sail.......37 Wizard Yachts, Ltd.............221 Wright Way Designs..........100 Yacht Racing Assoc.....105,106 Yachtfinders/Windseakers....28 Don't fo rget to tell 'em that

Latitude sent you

E l l i ot t B ay y ac h t S a l E S Sail liStingS 65’ Perry/Marten ‘01 ...........$995,000 55’ Tayana CC Cutter ‘91....$355,900 51’ Able Apogee ‘95 ...........$480,000 50’ Celestial Pilothouse ‘96..$329,000 48’ Oyster ‘90.......................$349,000 47’ Grand Soleil 46.3 ‘98...$295,000 40’ Alden ‘55 .......................... $39,550 39’ Baltic ‘78 ......................... $124,950 36’ Cape George ‘80 .......... $105,000 36’ Union Cutter ‘80............... $78,000 35’ Catalina C350 ‘04 ........ $149,000 30’ Yamaha ‘80 ..................... $42,500 22’ Cornish Shrimper ‘86........$21,500

65’ Perry/Marten “Icon” Stunning all carbon racer/cruiser with a removable cruising interior—a must see!

51’ Able Apogee “Bittersweet” A performance cruising yacht built for an experienced yachtsman—no expense spared!

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Latitude 38 Photo Boat Crossing!

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Controls & 3-year warranty included. 20% off product and/or labor to veterans.

Now offering 14.5' hand-layed ocean kayaks. 265 Gate 5 Road • Sausalito, CA 94966

(415) 332-8020 January, 2008 •

Latitude 38

• Page 219

Sail into the New Year Cruising World Pacific, Inc. 1853 Embarcadero, 2nd Floor, Oakland, CA 94606

(510) 764-1734 www.YachtCouncil.com/cwp DESCRIPTION 24/7 ext. 52’ Tayana CC Cutter 1991 $295,000 7253 50’ Hudson Force 50 Ketch 1974 $109,900 7013 47’ Beneteau 47.7 2001 $330,000 7023 44’ Peterson cutter 1978 $114,000 7033 41’ Hunter 410 2004 $224,900 7043 40’ Islander Peterson 1981 $59,900 7063 39’ O’Day sloop 1983 $69,000 7073 38’ Morgan 382 1980 $59,000 5153 38’ Baltic Doug Peterson 1984 $128,000 7083 38’ Ericson sloop 1981 $46,900 7093 38’ Hans Christian 1976 $59,900 7103 38’ Tripp Javelin 1961 $34,500 7113

DESCRIPTION 24/7 ext. 37’ Endeavour sloop 1978 $55,000 7123 36’ Catalina MkII 2000 $114,900 7133 36’ Catalina MkII 1999 $113,900 7143 36’ Catalina sloop 1984 $55,000 7153 36’ Columbia sloop 1968 $29,900 7163 34’ Cal Pearson 1976 $29,500 7173 34’ Catalina MkII 2005 $129,000 7183 34’ Pacific Seacraft 1989 $119,900 7193 33’ Nor’West 33.5 1982 $39,500 7203 32’ Capital Gulf 1985 $49,995 7213 32’ Fuji cutter 1977 $49,900 7223 25’ Pacific Seacraft sloop 1976 $18,900 7233

You can receive a boat info sheet via our 24/7 Auto Fax Back Call (888) 827-1891 then dial extension hunter 340, 1999 Raymarine, StackPac main, dinghy & more.

A MED

ALA

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Y F BA

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D O N AT E Y O U R B O AT to the Aquatic Protection Agency. We protect our precious coastal waters from illegal toxic pollution. We can use your equipment, so you will get maximum value for your donation. We are on the water, monitoring cruise ships, performing BlueBoater trainings, and testing outfalls for harmful toxins.

Call (415) 235-0756 or (831) 247-8228

or email boats@aquaticprotection.org www.AquaticProtection.org Page 220 •

Latitude 38

• January, 2008

GO FASTER

W i zard D. YACHTS LT

Bill Lee Dan O'Brien Tom Carter

THREE MONTHS FREE BERTHING FOR QUALIFIED NEW LISTINGS

345 Lake Ave., Suite G Santa Cruz, CA 95062 (831) 476-9639 fax (831) 476-0141

www.fastisfun.com

ISLAND PACKET 380, 2001 ~ $235,500 MERLIN, 68' CANTING KEEL racing yacht. Carbon mast, all new everything. Fast is really fun. $295,000

OPEN 50 'Tuesday's Child' Extensive upgrades. Real interior including V-berth. Water ballast. Inboard diesel. $89,000

BENETEAU IDYLLE 11.5 1985 ~ $69,000 SANTA CRUZ 50 Go fast and have fun. Recent mast, sails and scoop. $179,000

CATALINA 30, 1995 1995 ~ $54,500

CATANA 411 CATAMARAN Twin diesels, four staterooms, daggerboards for good upwind performance. Lying Ecuador. $239,000

BENETEAU 473, 2004 ~ $274,900 CAL 31 Pocket cruiser. Diesel, excellent condition, one year Santa Cruz slip possible. $26,500

CATALINA 30, 1987 Lightly used, diesel, tabernackle mast, one year slip at Santa Cruz possible. Great boat. $24,500

56' FOUNTAINE PAJOT MARQUISES 2001

HUNTER 386, 2004 ~ $159,500

$895,000

HUNTER 310, 1997 ~ $52,800

Most spectacular salon of any yacht in its class. Panoramic views and rich cherry joinery throughout. Large galley complete with bar and built-in seats; wrap-around dinette accommodates 10. Impressive navigation center with all the latest electronics. Entire starboard hull dedicated to the captain's stateroom. Two large staterooms with their own private heads to port, with additional crew quarters. More than 1,000 sq. ft. of deck space. Low hours on twin Yanmar 75hp direct drive diesel engines. Never chartered, hardly used. This vessel will take you anywhere in the world and is only limited by your imagination.

HUNTER LEGEND 40.5 ~ $119,000 NEW ALAMEDA OFFICE

1070 Marina Village Pkwy, Ste 101 Alameda, CA 94501

(510) 864-3000

PT. RICHMOND OFFICE 1220 Brickyard Cove Rd. Pt. Richmond, CA 94801

NAPA VALLEY MARINA YACHTS (866) 363-8882 • (707) 252-8011

(510) 236-2633

www.passageyachts.com

sales@passageyachts.com January, 2008 •

Latitude 38

• Page 221

Kensington Yachts "Everyone needs a bigger boat" Unique, Reduced Commissions!

LON

G BE

47' Passport AC 2002 $480,000 40' Beneteau Oceanis

ACH

wilmington

1996 $115,000 LON

G BE

37' Cal 1966 $89,900

ACH

Our commission structure is on a sliding scale. • Have a large note? • Two boat owner? • Death or family emergency? • Want to trade up? We have seen every situation, and understand. Call us today. Let us help you sell your boat!

bristol 47.7 cc, 1992…$399,000

43' morgan center cockpit, 1985…$122,500

37' wauquiez, 1971…$49,000

34' canadian sailcraft cs, 1990…$63,000

SAIL 41' COOPER 416, 1981.................................$95,000 37' cheoy lee princess, 1958................$22,000 36' FREEDOM YACHTS SLOOP, 1986.............SOLD 36' S-2 CENTER COCKPIT, 1984.....................SOLD

30' CATALINA, 1980.......................................$23,500 POWER 40' BAYLINER 4087, 1996...........................$169,000 28' BAYLINER TROPHY 2802, 2001 Santa Cruz Slip

Kensington Yacht & Ship Brokers email: yachts@kensingtonyachts.com

877.444.5272 • 415.793.9376 www.kensingtonyachts.com

WIL

36' Pearson 36-2

MIN

GTO

1986 $70,500

TARTAN 4400: TARTINI TIME $495,000 Excellent condition

LON

33' Hunter 336 1996 $66,500

G BE

ACH

NEW

25' Catalina 2006 $31,500

POR T

Slips available!

• • • • • •

Hull #1 of of Tartan's newest Deck Salon Electric winches Full batten main, roller genoa, cruising spinnaker Espar central heat Kato davits (not shown) with Caribe inflatable Only 140 hours on diesel engine

Call for full details and other features & options

Full specs at www.heritageyachts.com

Page 222 •

Latitude 38

• January, 2008

(530) 318-0730 amgjohn@sbcglobal.net

Sausalito DOCK-n-SELL Dock your yacht where it will be seen by buyers in downtown Sausalito. No brokers/salesmen commissions. Save thousands!

Complete Yacht Services Detailing - Electrical - Heads Surveys - Title Search Sea Trials - Financing - Comps

‘For Sale by Owner’ is not a new concept, we just made it easier and more cost-effective.Your yacht will be ready to show 24/7 by appointment with pre-qualified buyers. No more wasting time with tire kickers. Space is limited, so call today for details – you will be pleasantly surprised!

Trailerable Boats Welcome!

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Happy NEW YEAR from Sausalito DOCK-n-SELL!!

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41 Liberty Ship Way, Sausalito behind the Bay Model

CHARLOTTE SCHMIDT YACHT SALES

4100A Harbor Blvd. Oxnard, CA 93035 Fax (805) 382-2374

When Experience Counts

In SF Bay Area: (415) 613-0712

(805) 382-2375

Csyachtsales@cs.com www.yachtworld.com/charlotteschmidt

Info and photos: www.petercraneyachts.com pc@petercraneyachts.com

Santa Barbara Slip Specialists

51' CHB PILOTHOUSE LRC, 1978 Twin Ford Lehmans, full flybridge, dual steering, 2 staterooms, washer/dryer, pilothouse with dinette & berth, strong offshore cruiser, rare offering, great price. Call Listing Agent Gary (415) 613-0712.

46' BENETEAU OCEANIS 461, 1997 Yanmar 78hp diesel, genset, watermaker, dodger, beautiful interior, well maintained, fully equipped for offshore cruising. Must see. Asking $189,500

34' CATALINA, 1988 Universal diesel, autopilot, GPS, dodger, furling jib, Caribe dinghy w/outboard, clean and ready to sail. Asking $53,900

51' COOPER PILOTHOUSE, 1982 Lehman 80hp diesel, chartplotter, GPS, radar, three staterooms, good interior layout, excellent offshore cruiser. Asking $174,900

34' GEMINI 105M CATAMARAN, 1997 Many great features, Westerbeke diesel, autopilot, chartplotter, furling jib, excellent condition! Asking $115,000. Contact owners' listing agent Gary Kaplan at (415) 613-0712.

47' VAGABOND KETCH, 1986 Ford Lehman diesel, genset, chart plotter, radar '06, AP '06, SSB, 12' Avon, dodger. Stunning condition. Top condition. You won't find a better Vagabond. At our docks. Asking $239,000

January, 2008 •

Latitude 38

• Page 223

CABRILLO YACHT SALES "Discover The Difference"

POWER & SAIL

(619) 523-1745 www.cabrilloyachts.com Sun Harbor Marina (next to Fisherman's Landing) 5060 N. Harbor Drive, Suite #155, San Diego, CA 92106

64' TAYANA, 2008

• 200 hp diesel • 650 fuel • Electric windlass/winch • 3-4 cabins All New 72' Deck Salon Bill Dixon design

2008

72' TAYANA DYNASTY Bill Dixon/Andrew Winch design. Design/priced affordably.

48' TAYANA DECK SALON Center cockpit or pilothouse models. Also a used 48', 55' & 46' PH

ayana Used T

a Tayan

ALL NEW BILL DIXON DESIGNED 54' TAYANA Check it out.

N DOC

TWO 55' TAYANAS Ready to take on your wildest cruising dreams. Plus used 42'. ced u d e R Price

42' BALTIC by CENMARINE High quality performance cruiser. Swan-like qualities. et rk a w to M

45' DOWNEASTER KETCH Location: Hawaii. Slip obtainable with credit check. Make offer today. Also: 38 ' available.

55' ISLANDER Tradwinds Model. She is a famous circumnavigator ready to go again.

38' VAGABOND WESTWIND Many custom features. Super clean, cruise ready. $119,900. And 42' Cenmarine/Baltic.

SOLD

51' SPENCER Canadian built quality. Has a lot of potential.

New

educe

Price R

educe

Price R

et to Mark

MORGAN/CATALINA 440 "No worries" says it all. Under factory warranty. Also: 42' Catalina, 2002

onal ecreati

70' OCEAN ALEXANDER LRC Beautiful joinery. Well cared for. Also: 44' available.

TWO 34' HUNTERS and a 30' Catalina. Great boats for the $$.

Worldwide / Mexico / Pacific Coast Tayana Yachts • Large Selection of Used Yachts

www.cabrilloyachts.com

Mexico Page 224 •

Connection Keith

Latitude 38

• January, 2008

Demott

47' VAGABOND, 1981 • $165,000

43' HANS CHRISTIAN, 1999 • $139,000

36' CATALINA, 1985 • $55,000

36' CHEOY LEE, 1986 • $59,000

35' MORGAN, 1970 • $24,500

32' HUNTER VISION, 1990 • $37,500 31' HUNTER, 2 to choose from $28,500

Visit our new office in Grand Marina

2021 Alaska Packer Place, Alameda, CA 94501 sales@newerayachts.com

(510) 523-5988 • www.newerayachts.com

Give A Little…

cepting Now Ac biles! Automo

ssi

51' BENETEAU, 1986 • $159,000

(520) 743-7833

Cla

structi

m Con

Custo

w w w . c a b r i l l o y a c h t s . c o m

tayana yachts sales/service

Give A Yacht… Your generosity will give your boat a new home and give you a nice tax break and great satisfaction… Our growing Scout program needs your support: • • • •

Any serviceable vessel can be used. We'll make the transfer quick and easy. Tax benefits from donating can meet and sometimes even exceed the amount realized from selling your vessel. Donatio You can eliminate the bills associated with the ns Are Tax cost of owning your boat. Deducti

ble

Donate Your Boat to the Sea Scouts San Francisco Bay Area Council, Boy Scouts of America For more information contact: Matt Myers 1-800-231-7963 x145 • mattm@sfbac.org

Marotta Yachts of Sausalito Brokers of Fine Sail and Motor Yachts

415-331-6200 • info@marottayachts.com See at: www.marottayachts.com

See at: www.marottayachts.com

47' JEANNEAU SUN ODYSSEY, 1992 Sexy Euro-style performance cruiser with deep draft Kevlar-reinforced hull & nicely laid out, spacious 3-stateroom interior. Well equipped with offshore dodger, full suite of electronics, new Doyle sails, heavy duty ground tackle and 10' Caribe RIB on nicely executed stainless steel davit system. $230,000

40' NEWPORT CENTER COCKPIT, 1987 Partial list of recent work includes all new sails, refinished boom, new ProFurl roller furler, new winches and mainsheet, all new electronics, rebuilt engine, new fuel tank, new batteries and charger, extensively replumbed, new canvas and isinglass, much more. Vessel shows very nicely and is lying in a transferable Sausalito slip. $125,000

See at: www.marottayachts.com

46' WATERLINE CUTTER, 1999 This beautiful steel cruising cutter is well equipped (almost $100,000 of electronics, as well as genset, central air, electric winches, watermaker, washer/dryer, etc., etc., etc.), highly customized with a $225,000 refit in '04-'05, and shows bristol inside and out. $499,000

See at: www.marottayachts.com

42' CHEOY LEE GOLDEN WAVE, 1984 Designed by Bob Perry to look like a Swan topside and a Valiant 40 below. Never cruised, she shows nicely – sails in fine shape, low time on the trusty Perkins 4-108 diesel, heavy duty stainless steel, dinghy, davits/radar arch, electric windlass, radar, etc. $94,000

39' COLUMBIA CENTER COCKPIT, 1979 Alan Payne-designed classic yacht has essentially been completely rebuilt and with over $30,000 spent since '02 now shows better than new: rebuilt engine, new mainsails, renewed rigging, replumbed, rewired, replaced original plastic portholes with ABI stainless steel, new custom hard dodger, etc., etc., etc. $89,000

40' HUNTER LEGEND, 1987 6'5" headroom throughout, QUEEN berth aft, plus a roomy cockpit and well-designed plan topsides – it's a hard-to-beat package (especially at a price well below $100,000!). Clean, low engine time and transferable Sausalito slip. $69,000

See at: www.marottayachts.com

36' SWALLOWCRAFT SCYLLA KETCH, 1979

35' PEARSON, 1981

30' HUNTER, 1979

Very nice aft cockpit motorsailer built in Korea to European quality standards. New listing,

Bill Shaw-designed classic in fine shape, just detailed and lying in a transferable Sausalito slip. New listing, full story online at www.marottayachts.com.

The Hunter 30s all have attractive lines and a spacious interior, and this particular boat shows nicely inside and out with the topsides looking especially nice for her age. Note Yanmar diesel; most boats in this price range have gas engines.

additional information available soon. $54,900

$34,800

$16,500

100 Bay Street • Sausalito • California 94965 January, 2008 •

Latitude 38

• Page 225

35' HANSE 350, 2008 Available at the San Rafael sales dock.

A Anchorage B Brokers & C Consultants

www.yachtworld.com/anchoragebrokers #1 Gate 5 Road, Sausalito, CA 94965

(415) 332-7245

yachts@abcyachts.net Happy 25 Third Street, New Year!

YACHTS

San Rafael, CA 94901

(415) 457-9772

Clay & Teresa Prescott • George Higbie • Phil Howe • George Scott • Larry Mayne • Dana Paul • Arnie Gallegos • Peter Bohn • Ed LaBarre • John Saul TWOEAUS ET E BN

PASSPORT 37, 1986 Robert Perry design, second owner, newer sails in 2003, Pullman berth, beautiful teak interior. $109,000

PEARSON 37, 1982 Clean, newer rigging and sails. $49,000

TER

HUN

40' HUNTER 40.5, 1995, $116,000 35' HUNTER 35.5, 1993, $69,000 33' HUNTER, 2005, Bank Repo 33' HUNTER, 2004,$93,000 33' HUNTER 33.5, 1992, $57,500 29.5' HUNTER,1994, $40,000 (pictured)

36' SWEDEN, 1984 Swedish-made, performance plus, beautiful teak joinery below. 2 staterooms. $75,000

BENETEAU 411, 1999, tri-cabin. 34' BENETEAU 350, 1988, bristol, $67,000 (pictured)

35' J/105 One owner, racing and cruising sails. $105,000

SAIL 53' Norseman 535...................'88 549,000 52' Hartog schooner................'99 195,000 50' Gulfstar sloop....................'78 Inquire 49' Reliant Ketch......................'91 135,000 47.7' Bristol CC..........................'92 399,000 47' Jeanneau Sun Odyssey......'92 230,000 46' Chesapeake........................'98 77,000 47' Perry cutter........................'80 115,000 45' Bruce Roberts CC...............'79 120,000 44' Hylas..................................'86 185,000 44' Norseman CC.....................'84 225,000 43' Hans Christian....................'82 129,000 42' Baltic DP............................'84 189,000 41' CT......................................'76 79,000 40' Cheoy Lee MS....................'75 73,900 40' Olson.................................'83 69,500 40' O'Day.................................'86 75,000 40' Hunter 40.5........................'95 116,000 40' Challenger..........................'73 73,000 39' Cal, nice.............................'79 74,900 39' Freya..................................'81 109,500 38' Ingrid...............'76 & '84 from 61,900 38' Hans Christian....................'80 99,000 37' Pearson..............................'82 49,000 37' Alberg, equipped................'72 90,000 37' Rafiki, new engine '07........'77 67,000 37' Irwin..................................'79 40,000 36' Pearson 365, Bristol..........'81 70,000 36' Islander............'77 & '74 from 42,000 36' Islander Freeport................'78 61,900 36' Catalina............'84 & '93 from 59,500 36' Sweden..............................'84 75,000 35' Fantasia..............................'79 50,000 35' Hanse.................................'08 Inquire 35' Hunter 35.5........................'93 69,000 35' Beneteau Oceanis 350.........88 75,000 35' Baba...................................'79 77,500 35' Ericson, nice......................'79 33,000 34' Hanse 341..........................'03 139,500 34' C&C...................................'80 37,500 34' Sabre.................................'83 49,000 34' J/105..................................'99 105,000 33' Hunter................................'04 93,000 33' Hunter................................'05 Repo

33' Hunter 33.5........................'92 57,500 33' Mason................................'87 99,500 33' Newport.............................'84 34,500 32' Westsail.............................'77 52,500 32' Fuji ketch............................'76 37,500 31' Pacific Seacraft Mariah......'79 69,000 30' Catalina, new engine..........'75 16,500 30' Islander..............................'75 15,000 30' Lancer................................'80 36,000 30' Hunter................................'90 36,000 29' Hunter 29.5........................'94 40,000 28' Newport.............................'79 9,500 28' Pearson Triton....................'61 11,000 27' Pacific Seacraft..................'80 54,000 POWER 67' Stephens Alum...................'80 895,000 65' Pacemaker, cert.................'71 299,000 65' Elco Classic MY.................'26 450,000 57' Chris Craft..........................'65 135,000 53' Hatteras MY, new engines.. '76 259,000 50' Stephens............................'65 135,000 45' Chris Craft..........................'73 149,000 44' Defever...............................'82 235,000 44' Gulfstar MV........................'79 147,000 43' Viking DC...........................'77 107,000 41' Hatteras.............................'61 Inquire 41' Hatteras, nice.....................'65 149,000 40' Sea Ray Sundancer, diesel '97 197,000 38' Holiday Mansion................'89 38,500 38' Fu Hwa...............................'84 125,000 38' Bayliner, nice......................'90 97,000 35' Cooper Prowler..................'86 78,000 34' Mainship............................'81 48,000 34' Sea Ray Sundancer............'01 169,000 34' Kevlacat.............................'97 160,000 32' Uniflite, t/d.........................'77 37,500 32' Silverton FB, 370 hrs.........'98 49,000 30' Sea Ray 305 DB.................'88 59,900 27' Pacemaker.........................'78 15,000 26' Osprey long cabin..............'03 85,000 26' Osprey...............................'02 98,000 24' Chaparral, trailer................'94 19,000 24' Orca, inboard.....................'99 59,950 24' Osprey...............................'96 69,500 22' Grady White 222 w/trlr.......'02 59,000

36' ISLANDER FREEPORT, 1978 Bob Perry hit the nail on the head when he designed this one! $61,900

47' JEANNEAU SUN ODYSSEY, 1992 3 staterooms, master is Pullman, upgraded beautiful interior, RF main, 75hp Yanmar. Worth seeing! $230,000

40' CHALLENGER Super clean! Complete refit, new paint from mast to keel. $73,000

47' PERRY CUTTER CC, 1980 Anything She Wants. South Beach SF. New tanks, 6 cyl. Ford Lehman. $115,000

H BOT CED U D E R

Dealer Report Three new Hanses on the Bay: 350, 370e, 540e NORSEMAN 447 CENTER COCKPIT, 1984 Newer engine, low hours genset, newer rig and sail. $225,000 Also: NORSEMAN 535, $549,000 Page 226 •

Latitude 38

• January, 2008

Larry R. Mayne

Yacht & Ship Broker

Dealer & New Boat Sales Manager

Latest arrival, the big 540 with all the trimmings!

Sales dock slip available, $300/month

Happy New Year!

Pictured: HANS CHRISTIAN 43, 1982 New engine, genset, cruising electronics, great price. $129,000 Also: HANS CHRISTIAN 38, 1980, $99,000

NORPAC YACHTS

WE HAVE BUYERS & NEED MORE BOATS!

On Hwy 101

LIST YOUR BOAT NOW & WE SHALL SELL HER! AWESOME FOR MORE SEE OUR

557 Francisco Blvd., San Rafael, CA 94901

(415) 485-6044

norpacyachts.com

• FAX (415) 485-0335

WEBSITE

email: info @ norpacyachts.com

D REDUCE

ENGLISH ELEGANCE

66' THORNYCROFT CUTTER-RIGGED KETCH Classic 1923 design, well maintained. She's like a beautiful & comfortable private British club down below. Must be seen. Teak decks, diesel, genset, radar and more. Extremely charming and a great performer. Asking $174,950

57' CHINESE JUNK. Teak const. Huge & very comfortable well lit & well appointed inter. Outstanding liveaboard cruiser w/lug rig & highly desireable Gardner dsl. Charm, character. Gen set, washer/ dryer. Pos. liveaboard slip & more! $149,000/Offer

D REDUCE

SAIL 51' FORMOSA Ketch. Aft cockpit. Good project. Fiberglass, diesel & lots of extras.......................... 54,950/Offer 50' CAULKINS Slp. A project, but all there. Dsl, strip plank, ocean racer..Try 15,000 45' COLUMBIA Center Cockpit Sloop, diesel, fiberglass, roomy, comfortable cruiser with good light and visibility down below, 2 heads, shower & more. These are wellrespected for cruising & for living aboard. We have two, starting at... 39,750 Ask 42' SPARKMAN & STEPHENS steel custom cutter by Olin Stephens. Cent. cockpit, aft cabin, dsl & more.... Asking 60,950 41' HINCKLEY Ctr. Trad. beauty and a worldclass builder.................... Ask 69,900 39' FREYA Double-ender, steel, dsl, dink+ o/b, new paint, solar, furling, RADAR, AP, cruise equipped + more!.... 62,950 38' KETTENBURG Sloop. Dsl.... Ask 43,950 37' GULFSTAR cent. cockpit, aft cabin, dodger, dsl & more................. 43,950 37' VILLENAVE Cruising Ctr Blue Water Euro Performance. Loaded........ Ask 43,950 36' ISLANDER Sloop. Major upgrades, dsl, dodger, furling & more...... Ask 44,950 36' STEEL HARTOG ketch, double-ended cruiser. Great potential and a great value priced at.............Offers/16,950 36' NIELSEN classic 1918 Danish aux. sloop. Nice condition.............. Asking 15,000 35' CHEOY LEE by Robb. Dsl, teak...17,950 34' COLUMBIA Slp. Dsl, furling ++... 9,450 30' NEWPORT Slp, I/B, A/P, F/G...11,950 30' CATALINA Sloop. Furling, dodger, diesel, wheel steering, Avon, EXTRA CLEAN & More!............................ Ask 24,950 29' pearson triton. New diesel. Total refit nearly done........... Asking 15,950 28'MORGAN Out-Island Slip, I/B, shower & more! A Great Boat at a Great Price!.............................Ask 8,500 26' INT'L FOLKBOAT, F/G, O/B...Ask 6,950 25' CHEOY LEE FRISCO FLYER, teak..8,000 23' HERRESHOFF Classic Prudence Slp w/'03 Honda........................7,500 POWER 130' CAMCRAFT Passenger Ship. Certified for 33 passengers overnight. Booked for the season. Virtual turnkey: $$ and opportunity.....................2,200,000 63' FERRY conversion, 671 diesel, 19.5' beam, excellent condition.. Ask 28,000 60' MATTHEWS MY, '65, twin diesels, big, comfortable liveaboard cruiser w/South SF berth...... Asking 215,000 45' STEPHENS 1929 classic. Beautiful GatsbyEra Motoryacht waiting to transport you back to the days of yachting in the grand style................................ Try 75,000 43' M ATTHEWS, '65, diesel. A gem! Loaded and beautiful........ Ask 69,450 42' GRAND BANKS Twl. Aft cabin, FG, Onan, twin dsls, RADAR. Excellent.... 121,000

40' CHEOY LEE GULF 40 PH Sloop. 56hp Yanmar diesel, varnished teak hull, copper rivet fastened. Good sail inventory including 2 spinnakers, AP, radar, chart/GPS, more! Great yacht in great shape. Asking $55,000 38' INGRID ketch by Wm. Atkin. GREAT cruising double-ender. Extra stout & robust fiberglass construction. Low hrs, dsl, vane, furling, radar, cruise ready & more! Cruise the world in seaworthy comfort. $60,950/offers.

45' COLUMBIA Center cockpit Slp. Dsl, F/G, roomy, comfortable cruiser with good light and visibility below. Two heads, shower & MORE! These are great cruise/live vessels. We have two, starting at $39,750.

30' BRISTOL 29.9. Famous Halsey HERRESCHOFF cruiser/racer. Dsl, extra robust FG construction, roller furling, roomy & comfortable, dodger, pedestal wheel steering & more! This is a great boat. Ask $34,950

42' SPARKMAN & STEPHENS Slp. F/G, dsl engine, spinn., dodger, major refit incl, rig. Beautiful cruiser from world-class architect; she's a very desirable yacht with a great layout, excellent performance & outstanding comfort and cond. Hard to go wrong. Asking $49,000

100' MEGA SLOOP Custom Offshore Performance Cruiser. Luxurious, spacious, comfortable, sleeps 25 in 17 bunks. Loaded w/amenities & equipment. Fast, Cummins dsl. Excellent condition. Great private yacht with super charter potential. World class cruising and MORE! $1,500,000 Ask

D REDUCE

high endurance cruising yacht

30' RINKER 300 Fiesta Vee Express, '94 w/near zero hrs on full inside/out remanufacture/refit incl. her twin engines. Aft cabin, quality, comfort, condition & performance. Ask $32,988

75' NORTH SEA TRWLR. Awesome Blue Water World Cruiser. Massively built in SCOTLAND to go to sea & stay. CAPE HORN Vet. Impeccable total refit & conversion. Fully found/loaded. Strong, ecomonical & long lasting Gardner dsl. $825,000

41' C HRIS-CRAFT CONSTELLATION. Aft cabin. Great liveaboard, full Delta canvas, good condition... 37,500/Offer 40' O WENS, '65 Tahitian. Great for cruise/live, comfort, room & NICE! Newly refinished.......... 19,988 Asking 37' HATTERAS Convertible. One of their BEST EVER! Maj. refit just complete. Twin 8V53 Dsls, 7.5 kw Onan, F/B. Loaded & outstanding.. 179,000/Offer 37' DE FEVER TRAWLER by North Sea. Dsl, F/G, F/B, 2 heads, showers, RADAR, gen., thruster, GPS/map & MORE! Very nice............................ 88,950 Asking 36' UNIFLITE. F/B, aft cabin, twins, radar, GPS and more!............ Asking 59,950 36' CHRIS CRAFT Express Cruiser, twins, runs well. BARGAIN!..............Offers/6,850 35' CHRIS CRAFT CAVALIER. Aft cabin, flybridge, twin V8s, many recent upgrades. Very nice. Reduced! EXCELLENT BARGAIN................. 8,950 34' CHB Mainship Trwl. by Silverton. 160 hp dsl. F/B, gen & more!.. 49,500/Offer 32' ROBERTS commercial fish w/herring permit & more!.......... Asking 58,950 32' CARVER. Glass, twins, Sausalito liveaboard berth. Nice!...... Asking 30,950

32' BOWPICKER, aluminum. Commercial (herring) license..................... 49,000 31' MONTEREY BAY EXPRESS PH utility, F/G, 1991, twin 130 Yanmars, trailer, USCG-documented, commercial quality gem.............Reduced! Asking 34,950 30' WILLARD Trawler, dsl ++... Ask 34,950 29' WELLCRAFT 2900 EXPRESS. Twin screw (not outdrives). Super clean & nice! Bright red.....REDUCED! Asking 19,950 28' R ODMAN WA, F/B, 2004. Twin dsls, high quality & loaded. Looks new!....................Reduced! 149,000 27' Farallon Pilothouse, F/G, twin 5L V8s, fast & seaworthy. Just detailed & very nice 1986....................... Ask 51,950 26' PACEMAKER, cab. cruise w/V8, nice!................................ Ask 8,500 26' BARTENDER by Caulkins. Capable doubleender, V-8....................... Ask 11,950 25' FARALLON SF w/trailer. New twin 180 hp Volvos, radar, etc..... Asking 22,450 24' SEA RAY V8. Full Delta canvas, trl, o/d, nice!.............................. Ask 12,000 21' SEA RAY Cuddy, I/O, Kicker, Trailer. Extra nice & MORE!................. 9,950 OTHER 56' LCM-6 with dive support, steel, W/H, twin 671s, full elect.........Try 25,000

37' HUNTER Sloop. Diesel, good sails, new main, spinn, ++. Bluewater cruiser, comfortable, well equipped and in nice condition & MORE! Asing $31,950

58' ALDEN BOOTHBAY MOTORSAILER center cockpit ketch. Dsl, genset, air/heat, new upholstery, much recent refitting & refinishing. Loaded w/cruise gear, AP, radar ++. Great comfortable bluewater cruising w/excellent layout & more!! $268,950 Ask

SPECIALIZING IN

VESSEL INCORPORATION & OFFSHORE REGISTRATION Many Advantages Call: Glenn Shelly, MBA The Broker: NORPAC Direct cell: (415) 637-1181 Direct email: glenn@norpacyachts.com

AIN BARG

32' FUJI KETCH. Diesel, furling, shower, full galley, full cruising keel with cutaway forefoot. Very nicely maintained ++.We have two starting at $31,950 Ask.

GRAND BANKS

classic cruiser 65' CLASSIC, '31 MOTORYACHT BY WHEELER. 16' beam, recent 40k hull refurb. Bottom's good & she's ready for you to finish restoration. Pilothouse, twins, 3 heads, huge salon, crew's quarters and more. $49,950/Offer

32' GRAND BANKS CLASSIC TRAWLER. 1970 Economical diesel, dual helms, flybridge, TEAK decks, full electronics, swim platform, mast and boom. She's a great cruiser and a very well loved design. $34,450/Offer

The Old Kermit Parker Brokerage

Serving the Boating Community since 1956. January, 2008 •

Latitude 38

• Page 227

BOATLOADS OF CAPACITY

Visit Our Website: www.nelsonsmarine.com

BOATLOADS OF BOATS

For Sale: Boatloads of Boats! In the water or on land, Nelson's Marine has the capacity to accommodate your vessel. Our extensive docks in our protected boat basin and our huge indoor work space provide the space to handle any repair. Our dry-stored brokerage area features a broad selection of great quality yachts ready for inspection. SACRAMENTO AFFILIATE: McClellan Indoor Boat & RV Storage (916) 640-0141 • www.mcclellanstorage.com

Brokerage • (510) 337-2870 See ad page 25

Sacramento Yacht Sales Opening Soon

Nelson's Marine www.nelsonsmarine.com 1500 FERRY POINT ALAMEDA, CA 94501 (510) 814-1858 • FAX (510) 769-0815